


Kan's Maribat March 2020

by littlekittykanny



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Chloe likes to rile people up, Clark is slightly jealous, Conner's a little shit too, Damian Wayne Has Feelings, Damian is a soft boy deep down, Diana likes mischief, Dick really wants a yo-yo too now, Did I mention Diana is down for mischief and giving Bruce trouble?, Emilie gives them a new sibling, Emilie is Paonne, Emilie's a good mom in this, Emilie's alive, Emilie's the Peacock, HE'S Bruce's best friend DAMMIT, I made Brucilie babies, Implied pedophilia, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, It doesn't matter what way you dice it, It's not just Dick, Jason is surprisingly good with children, Kagami has a heart, Kagami is also a teenage girl, Maribat March 2020, Marinette and Tim are just there, Mentions of Sex, Momilie is a go, Multi, Ra's thing about Tim is disgusting and weird, Suicide attempt mentioned, Tim loves his goddamn family, can we let her be one plz, chapter 15 has suicide attempt mentioned, child abuse in prompt 19, implied domestic abuse, not graphic depictions of injuries, some violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 08:40:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 31
Words: 59,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22967086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlekittykanny/pseuds/littlekittykanny
Summary: Maribat March Prompts. This will have multiple pairings. It will also have the possibility of salt.
Relationships: Adrijon, Bargami, Bart Allen/Kagami Tsurugi, Brucilie, Chloe Bourgeois/Conner Kent, Chlokon, Daminette - Relationship, Dickinette - Relationship, Garmari - Relationship, Jasonette - Relationship, Luka Couffaine/Tim Drake, Timinette - Relationship
Comments: 188
Kudos: 710
Collections: Maribat March





	1. Day 1: Firsts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first time the Batboys meet Paonne...who exudes Mom energy.

The first time Dick met Paonne, he was bleeding out after a particularly nasty fight with Killer Croc.

Bruce and Tim had discovered that the Scarecrow had built a new, secret laboratory underground that connected with the sewers. He was apparently trying to develop a new type of fear toxin without getting the Bats’ attention. He also didn’t want attention from anyone else either, and that was where Killer Croc came in.

The two men had made a deal— Scarecrow would let Killer Croc kill and eat whomever he pleased, and in return, no one would live long enough to tell about Scarecrow’s new lab. The arrangement was tentative at best, but it had appeared to be working… that was until Tim noted an uptick in missing people around that area. 

Several stake-outs and two dead cops later, and Tim had managed to locate the new lab. Dick had been sent in to investigate and gather data on them. It was supposed to be a simple recon mission. All he was supposed to do was sit there, stare through some binoculars, and take notes. He wasn’t supposed to strain himself or get into any combat unless absolutely necessary, having a still healing sprained shoulder.

Things were, however, never that simple.

Killer Croc had sniffed him out and went on a rampage, tearing apart anyone and anything that got in his way. Dick fought valiantly, but Croc had managed to gouge open his left side. Dick, losing blood rapidly, had tried to get away, but got lost. He cornered himself by accident, and Croc had been closing in fast. As the large reptilian man loomed over him, Dick thought there might be a good chance of him dying before someone’s bo staff smacked Croc square in the face.

“Now, now, no need to get _snappy_!” a voice purred. “No need to eat the birdie.”

Dick’s head snapped in the direction of the speaker. His jaw dropped slightly at the sight of a teenage boy in a leather catsuit. He had bright blond hair and vivid green eyes that were mischievously looking at Killer Croc. Beside him was another figure, but this one was female.

She wore a mostly black suit with patches of red and black polka dots on her forearms, abdomen and calves. She had pitch black hair pulled up into a tight bun and stunning grey eyes. She was flinging one of the Scarecrow’s goons with a _yoyo_. She seemed to be the one in charge, as she began shouting orders to the one in black.

For a few moments, Dick was convinced he’d been hallucinating these other heroes until a strong, but gentle pair of arms pulled him out of his corner. His sluggish mind registered that there was another woman, who looked older than the two currently battling Croc and Scarecrow’s goons. She was blonde like the boy and had those same mysteriously piercing green eyes. Her costume was different though, more brown and feathery. He watched in awe as the woman flicked open her fan and whispered to the feathers. They flew off, attaching themselves to non-sentient objects, like the dumpster nearby.

It came to _life_ , and Dick was stunned as it began to destroy everyone and everything Scarecrow threw at it.

As soon as he was brought to safety, the red and black figures rejoined them. While the figure in the light brown costume began to patch up his side, the two began to watch their parameter. Neither of the trio faltered in their jobs. Their gaze remained watchful and their sense sharp.

One of the last things Dick can recall (and would later tell Bruce) was that the woman who’d fixed up his side had called herself Paonne, and that her two partners were Ladybug and Chat Noir. They were heroes who had come to help Dick in his time of need (well, Nightwing’s time of need).

The part that he remembered, but didn’t tell Bruce, was that he could remember Paonne gently stroking his hair like his mother used to. He could remember her gentle voice and winced apologies as she did what was needed to save his life. He also remembered receiving a gentle kiss to the top of his forehead before she left him in a safe location for Tim to retrieve him.

Dick remembered calling Paonne ‘Mom’... and the smile he had received for it.

—————————————

Jason had met Paonne for the first time while dangling by his ankle off the edge of a bridge.

He had been chasing after some thugs when one decided that Jason should go for a nice February dip. Add in the ice and snow, and Jason was basically on a frozen slip-in-slide. One well placed body check, and the former ‘Godfather’ had nearly been tossed into the frigid waters below. He had barely managed to send out a distress signal to the other Bats when he felt something wrap around his ankle.

It acted a bit like a bungee cord. Jason bounced up and down for a few moments before he felt himself being pulled up. He had honestly been impressed with his family for a few moments. That was a rather quick turn around, and Jason hadn’t needed to get wet. What surprised him was the fact that the three people hauling him up by his ankle _weren’t his family._

The woman at the lead was older than the other two. She was a blonde wearing a suit with feather markings. The throat going down a bit into her chest was a mix of blue and greens while the rest of her suit was a variation of brown shades. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail, and she had a blue and green mask.

The one standing behind her was a Selina Kyle-blond-look-alike. He was wearing a leather catsuit, complete with a belt tail. He didn’t look like a pushover, having obvious muscle to him. Jason was still however, not impressed.

The girl behind _him_ had pitch black hair and gunmetal grey eyes. She was the _anchor_ much to Jason’s shock, seeing as she couldn’t be over five feet tall. She had her feet planted firmly, and her posture was stiff. Her face was slightly panicked, but there was also relief there. Jason hoped that she was relieved about getting him, or things would get very stressful, very fast.

As soon as he was back on his own two feet, and yoyo free, the woman immediately began patting him down. She looked over every inch of him for injuries. Questions flew out of her mouth at a rapid pace, making Jason’s head spin. The two kids behind her were laughing silently behind their hands before the girl in red came to rescue Jason.

“Paonne, I believe Red Hood is alright. I didn’t let him fall into the water, and he didn’t appear to be injured before that,” the little lady said.

“Oh, Ladybug! Let a mother worry, would you? You kids need to take better care of yourselves! Chat, you better not be laughing at this young man. I’ll inspect you to make sure you’re not hiding any injuries from me next!” the blonde, Paonne, said in a huff.

Jason stood there in shock for a few moments as this strange heroine fussed over him. She straightened his jacket, gave him some handwarmers to stick in his pockets, and demanded to know where his snow boots were. The blonde woman then scolded him for not wearing anything to provide him traction, stating that the roads were too slippery for him not to have chains or something attached to his boots.

Jason would later think about how he automatically responded with, “Yes, _Mom._ ”

And about how her response was, “Don’t you ‘ _yes, mom’_ me, young man! Now stay warm, and stay safe! Come on, my little chicks. We have other places to be.”

Jason didn’t say a word as the three disappeared… not even as Bruce tried to grill him about the woman who responded to Mom.

———————————————

Tim Drake had met Paonne for the first time not as a hero, but as a civilian.

He had been working late one night at Wayne Enterprises. The third Wayne child had _insisted_ all his family and staff go home, leaving him completely alone aside from a few night guards. Tim didn’t see any point in keeping his family and employees from enjoying their evenings just because he had a mountain of paperwork to deal with.

He’d been working for a few hours before he began to grow sleepy.

Tim had groaned and went to go fetch some more coffee. There was a huge merger currently in the works, and if Tim didn’t have this paperwork done by tomorrow, it would completely fall through. He knew he’d never get it done without more coffee, and Bruce had removed his personal coffee maker. This had forced Tim to go into the break room to seek out his coffee, making him have to socialize and step out from behind his desk.

Except there should have been no one in the room… It was 3am after all.

Tim cursed his misfortune as he walked into the hall, only to spot three men in masks standing over an unconscious night guard. He did the only thing he could think of— Tim ran like a bat out of hell. He darted down the hallway, attempting to make it towards his office.

 _If_ he got to his office, he could change into his Red Robin suit.

 _If_ he could change into his Red Robin suit, _then_ he could fight the burglars without raising suspicion. 

He _had_ to get to his office.

Tim almost didn’t make it.

The burglars had pulled out guns and began shooting at the seventeen year old CEO before he could reach the doors. He’d crumpled himself up into a ball, trying to shield as much of himself as possible. Tim winced at every gunshot, preparing his body for the impact of bullets. It took him several moments before he realized that he was not in any pain. He had not been shot.

The dark haired teen looked up to see a girl in red and black twirling something _inhumanly_ fast, creating a shield that was deflecting the bullets. A guy in black, about his age and apparently a Catwoman fan, took out the gunman with the assistance of a woman dressed in colors that reminded Tim of a female peacock.

Once the thugs had been tied up, the peahen woman hurried over to Tim. She helped him to his feet and began brushing him off. She began to baby him, fixing his hair and pulling him away from the shards of his now broken coffee mug. She fixed him with stern green eyes before demanding to know why he was still here and _working_ at _3am._

Tim explained the paperwork situation before she clucked and scooped him up into her arms. As she strode back to Tim’s office, she began to explain that her name was Paonne, and her little chicks were Ladybug and Chat Noir. She reassured Tim that the two would take care of his burglars while she stayed to make sure his paperwork got done.

Those sharp green eyes gazed into his soul as she then added that once he was done, she was going to _make him go to bed._

Tim couldn’t recall ever finishing paperwork as fast as he did. He did it while listening to this stranger fuss and cluck over the fact that Tim was obviously exhausted and overworked. She told him he needed to delegate more so he could get more sleep. She also demanded to know where his parents were, and why they weren’t making sure he slept.

“Because, I’m the CEO of Wayne Enterprises. Business never sleeps, so neither do I. Besides, Bruce understands because he was once the CEO too,” Tim replied, yawning. “I’m okay with late nights.”

“Well, I’m not,” Paonne began, “growing boys need sleep. You can’t be much older than a high school student! CEO or not, you need your rest.”

“Yes, _Mom_.”

“Oh _great_ , another smartass!”

Tim woke up the next morning wrapped up in a blanket burrito on his office couch. His paperwork was done, and when he checked, the thugs were in jail. Tim blinked slowly before looking down at a note left on his desk.

_You really should take better care of yourself, little chick. Don’t worry, the paperwork is all done. The thugs were arrested by Gotham PD. There were no other break-ins. Take a rest today, okay?_

_— Paonne or “Mom”_

——————————————

Damian Wayne had been burning up with a 103 Fahrenheit degree fever when he first met Paonne.

He had felt nauseous and extremely dizzy. He was roasting in his Gotham Academy uniform. His skin had turned a sickly tan color. His eyes were hazy as he curled himself up on the bus. This field trip was going to be a nightmare, and there wasn’t much Damian could do. He could have called Bruce, but Damian didn’t want Grayson to be worried about him.

If his father knew he was sick, so would his brothers, and Damian really couldn’t handle the three occasionally overbearing nuisances. He had decided to stick out the field trip and quietly inform Alfred later that he wasn’t feeling well. He’d stay home the next day, and he’d sleep then. Odds were, this field trip would be uneventful, and Damian would be able to get over it.

As always, the odds were _not_ in Damian’s favor.

Their field trip to the botanical gardens was interrupted by no other than Poison Ivy. 

The disturbance itself, Damian couldn’t remember much of. He remembered his class being attacked. He remembered two figures, one red and one black darting into the fray. He was separated from his class and nearly passed out in the bushes. He vaguely remembered another figure picking him up and taking him away from the battle.

He woke up about twenty minutes later with a cold compress over his head.

Damian realized his head was on someone’s lap, and he felt someone’s hands running through his hair. He wanted to bolt up, but he was too weak and nauseous. His eyes looked up at the person leaning above him, and he realized there was a woman looking down at him with concern.

“Shh, it’s okay,” she whispered, stroking his head. “I’ve got you. You have a very high fever. Your brother’s on the way to pick you up.”

He grumbled a little bit, trying to move away from her. 

“Uh uh ah, you’re not going anywhere. You’re going to stay here until your brother comes to get you. You really should have stayed home today,” she lightly scolded.

“What are you, my _mother?_ ” Damian growled, unconsciously leaning into her soothing touch.

“No, but I’ll act like I’m your _mother_ if it means you’ll stay put. My name is Paonne and as long as you’re in my care, little chick, you’ll listen to me. You’re too sick to move, so why don’t you rest?”

Damian’s sluggish mind filed away the name Paonne. He would look her up once the world stopped spinning. His eyes fluttered as he struggled to stay awake before he heard a soft voice singing. The combination of the soft song and the feeling of fingers combing through his hair lulled him slowly to sleep. He yawned, curling up into a ball. Before he drifted off, he murmured, “‘hanks, Umi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Paonne- French for Peahen
> 
> *Umi- Arabic for Mother
> 
> Please let me know if the translations are off, as I only speak English!


	2. Day 2: Training

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It appears I'm back on my Brucilie bullshit. Please enjoy.

"Your center's off."

"Yeah, yeah, just  _ help me _ off the floor."

Bruce chuckled as he held out one hand out to his current sparring partner. The woman took his hand with a wince, feeling that last blow in her left shoulder. She pulled herself up with his help, rolling her shoulders in an attempt to relieve the strain she felt. 

Training with Bruce was still a new and strange experience for Emilie. There was a part of her still couldn't believe that her râuler was  _ Batman _ , but the larger part of her realized it made a lot of sense. If she were being honest, Emilie was pretty sure no one else was  _ capable  _ of being Batman except for Bruce. 

She couldn't think of a man kinder and more compassionate than Bruce, for  _ all _ his flaws. He was far from a perfect man, but he  _ tried _ to be a good person. He  _ tried _ to help anyone he could. Sometimes this manifested in extreme ways, like when he took in little Dick Grayson after the poor boy witnessed his parents murders. 

Emilie knew that Bruce thought himself far from a good man, and perhaps that was what made him an excellent superhero. To him, this wasn't a  _ game _ . This wasn't for  _ fun _ . This wasn't because  _ he could _ . He didn't think the people of Gotham owed him  _ anything _ just because he protected them. 

Though, she still wasn't 100% behind  _ how _ he fought crime… honestly, training  _ literal children _ ?

But she couldn't say much. After all, her son and his best friend were training with Bruce's brood. They were superheroes too.

"...Emmie? Ma colombe, what's running through that mind of yours?"

Bruce's voice broke her out of her thoughts before she snarked, "How in Kwami's name could you let Dick roam about Gotham in a uniform with  _ no pants? _ "

"Look, that wasn't for a lack of  _ trying.  _ You try telling a little ten year old acrobat that he  _ can't wear  _ something that reminds him of the home he lost," Bruce sighed. "He really wanted it to be similar to his circus costume."

"Ah, that answers  _ so many _ questions," Emilie sighed.

"Now, mind telling me what's  _ really _ on your mind, Emmie? Last time you were this lost in thought, you tore me a new one for 'Brucie Wayne'. Makes me nervous, thinking I might be in trouble with you, " Bruce said quietly, looking a bit somber. 

"You're only saying that because I know how to sic Alfred on you," she giggled, taking a step closer to him. "Honestly though, Bruce couldn't you have thought up a  _ better _ lie? World's greatest detective, my ass."

Bruce gave her a smile before replying, "To be fair, no one knows me quite as well as you do. It's convincing to them."

Emilie's smile faltered for a moment. Her green eyes, warm and inviting, were filled with apprehension. It was clear to Bruce that she was worrying about something, but what he wasn't sure of.

"Emmie—"

"Are we doing the right thing? By training the kids? Being vigilantes, superheroes, whatever you want to call it, ourselves?"

Bruce paused for a moment before pulling the blonde into a hug. He held her tight as she began to shake a little bit. He gently kissed her forehead before admitting the one thing Bruce Wayne was always loathed to admit. 

"I don't know, Emmie. I like to think I did the right thing. I stopped Dick from taking revenge after his parents were killed. I did my best to give Jason a home. Tim would've gotten himself killed if I hadn't decided to train him in the end. Damian would still be an assassin or not even in existence if I'd never become Batman."

He slowly rocked her before continuing, listening to her soft sniffles.

"You didn't have a hand in Adrien or Marinette becoming heroes. They chose to do what they thought was right—"

"They wouldn't have had to choose had I never told Gabriel the story of the Miraculous."

Bruce let go of Emilie for a moment, cupping her face gently. 

"... you  _ trusted _ him, Emmie. It's not your fault he decided to betray you. You're  _ not _ responsible for Gabriel's actions. The kids made their choice. Now you're doing the best to support them… and I think that's all we can do," Bruce said, resting his forehead against hers. 

Emile sighed before taking a step back from Bruce. 

"Alright… show me that leg sweep again?" she asked, a small smile on her face. 

Bruce nodded. 

"Of course."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> râuler- French, complainer/grumpy
> 
> ma colombe- my dove


	3. Day 3: Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is an AU in which Emilie is not with Gabriel/not with Gabriel yet (still haven't made my final decision on that).
> 
> This kind of piggybacks off my current Brucilie fic- The Bat and The Peahen were Bruce and Emilie were childhood friends. However, instead of Gabe stopping Em from seeing Bruce, Emilie still spends her summers in Gotham. She knows of Batman and Robin, and she's met both Dick Grayson and Jason Todd.

Duusu had existed for many a millennia. 

The deep blue kwami had seen many holders come and go, and she had seen them go through different hurdles. One thing was the same;  _ all _ of her little chicks were passionate creatures in touch with their emotions. They were emotive, intelligent, and brilliant fighters, and Duusu treasured her time with them. A few in particular stuck out to Duusu, and her current holder would be one she would never forget.

Even a millennia from now, Duusu was  _ positive _ she would never forget the burning _ rage _ of one Emilie Graham de Vanily. 

Her holder had been upset before, but never like  _ this _ . The blonde woman’s thoughts were  _ screaming _ through their bond, and the human was  _ livid _ . Emilie’s mission was very clear in her mind, and Duusu found herself having no objections to it. Tikki would be angry with her later, but the peahen saw no issue in letting her powers be used this way… even if it could be considered evil in some aspect.

After all, Duusu would have done  _ anything _ to protect her chicks from an early death, so why couldn’t her holder do the same?

Emilie’s boots didn’t make a sound, even when they hit the concrete floor of the warehouse. The woman stood slowly, adjusting her coat. The blue, green, and purple feathers on her epaulets swayed only so slightly against her arms as she moved with deadly intent towards the sounds of violent thudding, grunts, and manic laughter. Duusu felt a wave of sickness and  _ fear _ from Emilie as they got close enough to see what was going on.

Emilie’s little chick—  **Jason** , her holder’s thoughts provided— was laying on the cold, bloodied floor. The boy’s hands were tied firmly behind his back, leaving Jason defenseless. His boots had been removed, leaving him barefoot. He was still wearing his cape and utility belt, but his breathing was labored. He appeared to be trying to say something to his captor, making the man bend down to hear him. Jason spit blood on the man’s cheek and had his face slammed into the floor in return.

The man had wild green hair and was wearing a horrendous purple suit. He was also tapping a crowbar against his hand, giving the bloody child on the floor a brilliant grin. His eyes were as crazed as his smile, and Duusu could hear Emilie’s thoughts screaming that she would kill this man…

Emilie would  _ kill _ the Joker for even  _ thinking _ about touching her chick.

As the man wiped the blood off his ghastly white face, Duusu felt Emilie’s patience finally  _ snap _ . The kwami went dormant, choosing to let her holder deal with the matter at hand without interference from her. This was Emilie’s fight… and Emilie’s choice.

“Step  _ away _ from the boy, and I  _ might _ just reconsider ending your existence,” she snarled, stepping out of the shadows to face her enemy.

“Well, well, well! Lambchop, you didn’t  _ tell me _ this was going to be a party! Now, who might you be,  _ pretty bird _ ?” Joker said, his pale eyes scanning over her form.

“You can call me Paonne,” Emilie replied, cracking her knuckles. “Now  _ hand over the boy _ .”

The clown laughed, his red lips stretching wide, showing off his disturbing smile.

“Now why would I  _ do that _ ? I’m having  _ so much fun _ playing with him after all! Besides, Batsy isn’t  _ here  _ yet.”

The Joker’s smile fell off his face as his expression switched to a downright murderous glare. 

“Don’t tell me the Batman  _ isn’t coming _ ! I  _ took _ his little birdie! He  _ needs _ his little Robin! Did he send you as a  _ replacement?! _ ”

Emilie  _ growled _ at the thought. No, Bruce didn’t send her as a replacement. Odds were that he was trying to find them as they spoke. Bruce would find them eventually, after all she did leave a note, but not before she gave this bastard a good  _ thrashing _ . She didn’t care what Bruce thought about this. She didn’t care that Bruce would be furious that she chased after Jason without telling him. No one touched  _ her chick _ and didn’t suffer the consequences.

_ No one _ .

Emilie snapped her fan open and pulled out a feather. The Joker was about to laugh at her until she launched the curved feather at him. The talon-like  _ knife _ skimmed the man’s cheek, leaving a red line of blood in its wake. He seemed confused, but the smile soon returned to his face, sending a shiver down Emilie’s spine.

“Oho, so the pretty birdie plays  _ rough _ ! I’m going to  _ enjoy  _ this!” he said, raising his crowbar threateningly. 

“You’re not going to enjoy  _ shit _ !” she roared, ripping two feathers out of her fan.

Emilie strapped her fan to the side of her coat, and took one feather in each hand. They quickly manifested into the talon-knives, and Emilie  _ charged _ . She was  _ going _ to get the Joker away from her chick, even if she had to put  _ herself _ in danger. She just needed the Joker to back the  _ fuck _ away from Jason so she could fight him without worrying about accidentally hitting Jason.

The man fell for it easily, backing away from the woman with the knives in both fists. Emilie weaved back and forth, avoiding the Joker’s blows with practiced ease. This seemed to frustrate him, as he began snarling and calling her names. Emilie ignored him in favor of  _ tossing _ the knives at the clown. She reopened her feather fan to game more ammo, tossing knives  _ faster _ than the Clown Prince of Crime could react. The more torn up his clothes got, the more agitated he was. She was  _ relentless _ , and the psychopath couldn’t help but wonder where the  _ fucking hell  _ she was getting all these  _ knives _ ! Surely, she had a limited quantity… didn’t she?!

A well placed throw lodged a dagger into his arm, causing him to drop the crowbar he’d been swinging at her. He swore, moving to pull it out, only for the weapon to  _ disappear _ . His eyes widened in confusion as he looked up at the blonde woman advancing on him. She took a swing at him, and he felt the blade cut into his shoulder.

Emilie kicked the crowbar as hard as she could to the side.  _ Finally _ , she was near Jason. All she had to do was push Joker back a little further and  _ then _ she’d be in between them. A few more feet, and she’d be able to really  _ let loose _ .

The Joker had wanted to play more with the little Robin, but it looked like his play time would have to be shortened. She had managed to outmaneuver him, putting the Robin right behind her instead of near him. It was only a matter of time before Batman got there, and the Joker wanted to be  _ ready _ for the man’s suffering! He was going to  _ kill _ the Robin, and then Batman would become just as unhinged as he was!

“Stop or I’ll  _ blow _ us all sky high! This place is rigged to go  _ kaboom _ , and I’ve got the  _ remote! _ ” he cackled.

Emilie felt her barely concealed rage  _ emerge _ . Her pretty pink lips curled up into a smile before she snarled, “I’d  _ love _ to see you  _ try _ .”

A shadow emerged from behind the Joker, large and looming. It molded itself into the shape of a bear, complete with sharp claws and teeth. The clown began to laugh again, reveling in the chaos he was causing. Perhaps he’d still be able to pull this off. He’d kill them, or he’d let the pretty bird kill him.  _ That _ was sure to get Batman’s spandex in a bunch!

He turned his attention to the bear as Emilie turned her attention to Jason. Her poor chick was  _ covered _ in bruises, and he was bleeding badly. His hazy green eyes looked up at her with shock and confusion, as if he was trying to piece together who was there. She ignored the sounds of laughter and the thudding of a body as she moved to scoop Jason up gently.

“Shh, shh, little one,” she whispered as the boy tried to wriggle out of her arms. “My fierce,  _ brave _ little chick. I’m here. Maman’s here.”

“ _ Emmie _ ?” Jason wheezed, a spark of hope returning to his eyes.

“Shh, baby, save your strength. It’s going to be okay. I’m going to  _ get you out _ of here. B should be on his way,” Emilie reassured, carrying him towards the door.

She didn’t spare the Joker a glance, knowing that her bear would keep the madman busy. She kicked the door open and rushed out into the cold. The wind blew violently as the snow fell around her, obscuring her vision slightly. Emilie’s only concern was getting as far away from the building as possible. She didn’t doubt the Joker had bombs on him. She knew better than that.

What Emilie didn’t pause to think about was the fact her rage was still in the warehouse.

Her rage was still with the  _ Joker _ .

The Joker had  _ bombs _ .

And he didn’t  _ care _ whether he lived or died.

Emilie never heard the explosion.

All she felt was something  _ tearing _ at the corners of her mind. Her thoughts were _screaming_ at her, incoherent and distorted. Duusu was no longer speaking with her. The little Kwami was _screeching_ in agony along with her disjointed thoughts. Her vision went out, leaving nothing but blackness in its wake as the pain intensified. Emilie felt something  _ snap. _

Then Emilie felt _nothing._


	4. Day 4: Watchtower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug comes to the Watchtower for the first time. Damian's confronted by some feelings. Diana is definitely telling Bruce.

“Welcome to the Watchtower, Daesuqa. The moment  _ anyone _ gives you an issue, let me know,” Damian said. “This shouldn’t take long.”

The aforementioned girl looked around in awe and shock as she stepped off the platform. Her grey eyes continued to sweep the area, and she spun around trying to look at  _ everything _ . She turned her gaze to Damian before saying, “This is  _ incredible _ ! You mean to tell me all the heroes of the world hang out here?

“Anyone who is a part of the League is allowed to come here. Usually heroes come here to train or for missions during their assigned times,” the dark haired boy explained. “But  _ yes _ , this does include many international heroes.”

“That’s amazing! I wish Paonne and Chat could see this,” she giggled, her smile blinding. “Paonne wasn’t sure I should come here by myself. Chat would just be excited to meet all these other heroes.”

Damian felt a warmth creep into his stomach as he stared at the French heroine. Her smile did  _ funny things _ to him, and he wasn’t certain what  _ exactly _ it was. She was just smiling! Plenty of people— many of them  _ women _ — had smiled at him before, but  _ none _ of them had the effect that this tiny dark haired heroine had. When she stopped smiling, Damian had the aggravating  _ urge _ to make sure she was alright or make an attempt to get her to smile again.

She looked positively  _ precious _ as she skipped around, laughing in delight. Several heroes waved at her, and she responded  _ enthusiastically _ . Everyone who was waved at her seemed to be infected by her beautiful smile, smiling as soon as she waved back. People around her just seemed to be  _ happier _ , and Damian couldn’t understand  _ why _ . Why was her presence like the  _ sun itself _ , brightening everyone’s mood?

He was torn from his thoughts by a sweet voice asking if he was okay. He turned his green eyes to see the little heroine’s face scrunched up in concern. Her gunmetal grey eyes were locked onto his face, and her lips were pursed tight.

“Yes, I’m okay. I was just lost in thought, but I’m sure they will, Daesuqa. Wonder Woman was quite adamant about the Miraculous Heroes joining the fold,” he said, giving her a small smile.

Her mouth dropped open, and Damian had to push down the urge to wonder what  _ kissing her _ would be like. Bruce had instructed him to guide her around the Watchtower and show her where Wonder Woman and the other Founding Members would be. He was positive his father did  _ not _ send him here to flirt with her, no matter how  _ gorgeous _ this girl was. 

“ _ Wonder Woman _ said she wanted us to be part of the League?” her soft voice said. “I’m going to be  _ meeting _ her?”

Damian grinned before nodding.

“Sure will, as a matter of fact,  _ she’s _ right behind that door,” he said, stopping in front of the meeting room doors.

Suddenly, her disposition  _ changed _ .

The dark haired girl was now pale, and the anxiety was clear in her face. She crossed her arms, holding her elbows. She looked uncomfortable and uncertain which was a  _ drastic _ change from earlier.

“Hey, Daesuqa? It’s going to be okay,” he said. “I can come with you, if you’d like? Diana was very excited to see you. She said ‘it was an honor to meet the holder of the ladybug miraculous’.”

“...what if I don’t live up to her expectations?” her soft voice quivered. “What if she doesn’t think I’m worthy enough to be Ladybug? I mean, I am a kid, and her mother used to wield my miraculous. What if they take it from me? What-”

“ _ Breathe _ , Daesuqa!” 

Damian gently grabbed her shoulders, giving them a reassuring squeeze. Once the girl’s eyes were on him, he rubbed her arms comfortingly. He watched her muscles relax minutely. 

“Daesuqa,  _ no one _ is going to take away your miraculous.  _ You _ were chosen by the Guardian of the Miraculous for this task, and if there is  _ one thing _ we’ve learned, it’s that you  _ do not fuck _ with the magic artifacts. If someone says only that person can use it, then  _ only that person can use it _ .”

She took a few deep breaths before giving him a small smile.

“Thanks, Robin. Could you come with me? I’d really appreciate it.”

Damian nodded before holding out his arm.

“I’d be honored to.”

He felt his arm tingle as her delicate hands took his arm. He gave her another reassuring smile before opening the door. Damian felt the young lady tense as she spotted the heroes currently sitting around the table. He almost grinned broadly as she held her head high and followed Damian’s lead with purpose.

They watched one hero rise from her seat. The woman’s dark hair cascaded down her back as she stood. Her bright blue eyes were focused on the pair before her, a smile on her lips. The Amazon looked  _ delighted _ to see them together.

“Greetings, Robin! I see you’ve been tasked with bringing our guest,” she said brightly. “Ladybug, it is an honor to finally meet you!”

“W-W-Wonder Woman! It’s an honor to meet you as well!” Ladybug stuttered. “I hope we can work together in the future.”

“Hey Diana, I’m sticking around,” Damian informed the Amazon. “Batman tasked me with ensuring that Ladybug gets where she needs to be.”

Diana’s eyes twinkled almost knowingly as she responded, “That’s the hope, Ladybug, and of course Robin. That will not be a problem. Let’s get started shall we?”

Ladybug felt nervous, but Damian gently nudged her towards her seat.

“Breathe, Daesuqa. Things will be fine.”

Diana smiled at Robin brightly before filing that little tidbit away. It may not have seemed like much, Damian referring to the French heroine as Daesuqa. Afterall, daesuqa was Arabic for ladybug, which was her codename. 

However, Diana also knew that he didn’t call  _ anyone _ else by the Arabic version of their codename. This was an attempt by Damian to give her a nickname without alerting  _ anyone _ to the fact he may have _ feelings _ towards the young lady. No one else would be calling Ladybug Daesuqa except for Damian. Damian would have an exclusive name he could refer to her as, and if anyone  _ tried _ to point that out, he could deflect the question by saying he was just calling her Ladybug.

As they sat down together, Diana noted that Damian had taken Ladybug’s hand under the table. He was giving timed squeezes, probably as an attempt to calm her down. The Amazon couldn’t help the grin on her face at the sight, but she said nothing and sat back down. 

Diana couldn’t  _ wait _ to tell Bruce about this new development.


	5. Day 5: Transformation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick Grayson is no longer Robin.
> 
> That's not Emilie's issue with the whole situation.  
> \---------  
> AU where Emilie is the Peacock holder and childhood friend of Bruce Wayne. Em's not with Gabe, so she witnesses the Robins growing up.
> 
> Hinted Brucilie

Emilie wished Bruce wasn’t always so hard-headed. 

The blonde French woman loved him to pieces, but she was also  _ painfully _ aware of his faults. One particular fault was causing the current issue. That fault was that he often had a  _ difficult _ time seeing things from outside his own view. She’d been working on it with him, but it seemed he still had problems with it when it came to his  _ child _ .

On the one hand, Emilie could  _ completely _ understand where Bruce was coming from. Dick had been shot by the Joker  _ again _ . Dick had been injured while working with Bruce  _ again _ . Bruce felt like he’d failed the boy  _ again _ . Emilie felt similarly when Dick got hurt while they patrolled together too.

Dick was their  _ son _ , adopted or otherwise, and they both couldn’t imagine their lives without the little ball of sunshine.

That was part of the problem though.

Dick  _ wasn’t _ little anymore. Dick wasn’t the little twelve year old orphan that Bruce had picked up. He wasn’t a child mourning the loss of his parents. He wasn’t even the wild and rambunctious teenager who sometimes drove Bruce nuts. He had outgrown the mantle of Robin, but that didn’t mean his time fighting crime was done.

Emilie could still remember the day she discovered Bruce was Batman...and that the little twelve year old child he’d adopted was Robin. She’d been absolutely furious upon finding the tiny acrobat dressed up in a bright costume. Then Dick had turned his big blue eyes to Emilie and  _ begged  _ her to let him do this. He had told her he had to get justice for his parents, and the look on Bruce’s face told her the rest of the story. He had later told her that he hadn’t  _ wanted _ to let Dick fight, but the boy had almost sought out his parents killers on  _ his own _ . Dick and Bruce had succeeded, and Robin had been officially introduced to Gotham as the Batman’s protege. 

From there, Emilie had witnessed the growth of a truly brilliant boy.

As he aged, Dick only grew kinder and stronger. His skills grew with each passing year, and he  _ delighted _ in teaching Emilie every new trick he learned. He practiced his French with her and was almost  _ flawless _ by the time he was fourteen. Dick had learned several other languages as well, and he’d joined the mathletes at school. By the time he was graduating from high school, he had a large circle of acquaintances and people who adored him.

Robin had also made friends with other young superheroes over the years. Emilie was always happy to hear him talk about his friends, Kid Flash and Speedy. He had begun to learn how to be a leader, and Emilie couldn’t have been prouder. Robin would one day need to step out into the world on his own, and she was glad that Dick was learning how to.

Now, at the age of nineteen, Dick Grayson was stepping out of the Batman’s shadow.

Whether Bruce wanted him too or not.

This had led to an enormous fight between father and son. Emilie hadn’t been there to witness it, but she’d certainly gotten a phone call from Alfred about it. The elderly Englishman said he was worried about both Bruce and Dick. He was worried that Bruce felt like Dick was putting himself in unnecessary danger just to spite him. At the same time, he was also worried that Dick felt like he was being tossed aside and abandoned, just because he got hurt.

Bruce had wanted to give him a chance at a normal life, and Emilie could understand that desire. What Bruce had a hard time comprehending was that this  _ was _ normal for Dick. He’d been fighting alongside Bruce as Robin for  _ six years _ . Dick’s  _ best friends _ were all crime fighting vigilantes. This was  _ Dick’s normal _ , and Bruce had  _ torn it _ away from him.

Emilie sighed, rubbing her temples. She hoped that Dick would respond to  _ her _ messages at least. She knew Bruce had tried to reach him but to no avail.

“Are  _ you  _ here to talk me out of it, Paonne?” a familiar voice asked.

Emilie turned around to see Dick standing before her. He was clad in a black bodysuit that had a blue bird across the shoulders. His boots were black with a strip of blue as was his gauntlets. His domino mask was different with it pointed at the edges instead of rounded like his Robin mask had been. He looked to be in good condition, and Emilie couldn’t help but smile.

“ _ I am _ here to talk, my little chick… but I won’t stop you,” she said, stepping towards him. “Not if  _ this _ is what you really want.”

“I’m not—”

“One, you’ll always be my little chick,” Emilie interrupted. “However, you’re not  _ Robin _ anymore. Two, you haven’t told me what you’re planning on going by now, have you?”

“Nightwing,” Dick said, crossing his arms.

“Well,  _ Nightwing _ , can I tell you why the Bat is being so obstinate?”

“Because he doesn’t trust—”

“Because he  _ loves you _ , little chick. We  _ both _ love you. Bat wanted to give you the opportunity to live life  _ outside _ of all of this. I’m not saying he’s  _ right _ to do so, but after you got hurt on his watch  _ again _ ? He loves you very much, and it would  _ destroy _ him if anything happened to you,” Emilie said, once again interrupting Dick. “That being said, I’m here to ask what  _ you want. _ ”

“You don’t agree with him?” Dick questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“Little one, I agree that I  _ hate _ seeing you hurt. I agree that if anything happened to you, I’d be  _ devastated _ as well. But you’re an adult now, my chick. You can make your own choices.”

“...did he really want me to be like any other  _ civilian _ ? Did he want me to just  _ pretend _ I never saw anything?! Did-”

“Nightchick, I don’t  _ think _ he thought  _ at all _ . He wanted you to be safe, so he focused on that. He didn’t stop to think that  _ this _ was normal for you. He didn’t stop to think whether or not you  _ could _ step away from all of this,” Emilie admitted with a sigh. “And you’re right. You can’t just pretend you never saw what  _ really _ goes on in Gotham. I just want to make sure this is  _ your _ choice.”

“Why wouldn’t it be my—”

“My sister learned how to play the piano in hopes it would make our father pay attention to her. She  _ hated  _ the piano. I want to make sure that you’re doing this for  _ you _ and not because the Bat told you  _ not to _ or to  _ impress _ him.”

Dick uncrossed his arms and stepped directly in front of Emilie. He held himself tall as he stared at her from behind his mask.

“I’m  _ positive _ , Paonne. I  _ want _ to do this. I  _ want _ to keep helping people.”

Emilie smiled sadly at him before wrapping her arms around the surprised young man.

“I had a feeling that would be your answer. I want you to know something, Nightwing. I’ll  _ always _ be proud of you. I’ll  _ always _ be proud of the strong, brave, caring young man you’ve blossomed into. I will also  _ always _ be a phone call away,” she said, hugging him tightly. “I’ll try and work on getting the stick out of Bat’s ass while you’re gone.”

She almost cried upon feeling two strong arms wrap around her to return her embrace. She felt him place his face against the top of her hair as he held her tight.

“Thanks,  _ Maman _ .”

Dick Grayson was no longer that little twelve year old boy who had entered Wayne Manor shaking and terrified. He had transformed into a man in his own right and was moving on to the next stage of his life. Bruce may not have had his back with this decision, but as he stood on the rooftops of Gotham, he felt reassured knowing one thing.

His mother would  _ always _ have his back because he would  _ always _ be her little chick.


	6. Day 6: Unconventional Weapon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU- Diana finds out about Ladybug early in her career and pulls a Bruce. Diana also wants Marinette to have friends her age and decides that Robin would be the perfect playmate.
> 
> In this AU, both Dick and Marinette are thirteen. This is beginning Dickinette. Hinted Wonderbat.

"Let me get this straight… you use a  _ yo-yo  _ as a weapon?"

"Yup."

"Deadass?"

"Deadass."

"That's  _ amazing _ . Can I see?"

"Show me how you did that flip earlier and we have a deal."

A dark haired man shifted uneasily before looking at the cowled man next to him. The cowled man was watching the children carefully, but the other man noticed his focus was on  _ his _ child rather than the other. 

"Are we sure this is a good idea, Di? I think Bruce is going to have an aneurysm if she actually shows Dick how that works," the dark haired man said to the woman on his other side. 

The Amazon princess laughed at them before smiling. 

"Fret not, Marinette isn't a threat. She's such a sweet little thing. I figured introducing her to Dick would be the best way to ease her into the thought of being part of a team ," Diana said cheerfully. 

"He's going to _ want _ a yo-yo, Diana. He  _ cannot _ swing around Gotham with a yo-yo," Bruce growled as he watched the girl pull out her yo-yo. 

He stiffened as he watched Dick pull out some batarangs as the girl swung her yo-yo. He waited with baited breath as the dark haired girl spun her yo-yo so fast that it looked more like a blur than an actual shape. 

Dick began flinging batarangs at the girl… which she was able to  _ block _ .

The shock was clear on Robin's face, but it quickly gave way to absolute  _ delight _ . The boy took off quickly trying to catch Marinette off guard. He danced around her, flipping off of surrounding walls and other objects. 

Marinette's face had a determined grin on it. It was clear by the look in her grey eyes that she was having as much fun as Dick was. She joined Dick's dance with grace and flow not unlike the other. She did move slower, which confused Bruce, until Dick  _ ran _ out of batarangs.

That was when she flicked the yo-yo with practiced ease, catching Dick by his ankles. 

Ah, she was  _ patient _ .

Marinette had waited on  _ purpose _ for Dick to either run out if batarangs or run out of stamina. Once he was unarmed, she would have a much easier time taking him down as he tried to think of away around her yo-yo shield. 

Dick looked up at her from the ground. His face was flushed. His mouth was open in shock. He stammered, "C-C-Can I get one?! That was so cool!"

Marinette actually looked a little sad as she shook her head. 

"A normal yo-yo won't work quite like mine. See, my yo-yo is magic, so it's a lot more durable than a regular one. I'm sorry," she explained, releasing Dick. 

Dick stood up and dusted himself off. He gave her a small smile before shrugging.

"It's okay," he replied. "Bats has a lotta cool gear too. Want me to show it to you?"

Marinette nodded excitedly, grabbing Dick's hand.

"Please? And then can you show me more flips? You're  _ amazing _ ! Have you ever done dance?" she asked.

"It’s actually acrobatics," Dick said with a grin. "I can teach you if you'd like."

Marinette looked at Diana. Her big grey eyes looked at her mentor with excitement as she pleaded for her to allow Dick to teach her. She promised she would behave and do all of her other drills without complaint.

Dick was still smiling in a slightly dazed manner at the smaller girl. He waited until she was done speaking with Diana before grabbing her hand and claiming her attention once more. He led her a little bit away from the adults before sitting down and  _ dumping _ out his utility belt. He picked up one item and began to show it to Marinette.

Much to his mentor’s chagrin.

“Di—” Clark started, noticing the look on Bruce’s face.

“Oh, calm down you two. Dick knows better than to break anything, Bruce. I believe Black Canary has spoken to me about something like this. Isn’t it common for teenage boys to want to impress girls? She said that was what Roy was doing when he showed Marinette all the different arrow tips he used,” Diana said, unwittingly catching the Boy Wonder’s attention.

His face scrunched up in displeasure before Marinette put a hand on his.

“I like you better. You’re more fun,” the dark haired girl reassured him. “Roy can’t do  _ nearly _ as many cool flips as you can.”

Diana had to bite back her laughter as she watched the thirteen year old practically  _ light up _ at her protege’s words. She was also desperately trying not to laugh at Bruce, who looked  _ extremely _ wound up over this. The Amazon walked over to Bruce and gently nudged him with her elbow.

“Bruce,  _ relax _ . They’re just kids having fun. You know, Marinette doesn’t have a lot of friends since she was abandoned. She was really excited to meet him,” she said quietly. “You don’t need to be  _ afraid _ .”

Bruce grunted in response before calling Dick over to him. While he could ignore the crestfallen look on his ward’s face— this wasn’t the first time Dick had given him that look— he paused when he saw Marinette’s grey eyes go dim. The child looked down as tears welled up in her eyes, and Bruce felt like a  _ huge _ asshole.

“But Bats, I didn’t get to finish—” Dick began.

“I’ll talk to Diana. You two can hang out together some other time, but we need to get back to Gotham for patrol,” Bruce slowly reminded Dick. “It was very nice to meet you, Ladybug. I was very impressed with your usage of such an unconventional weapon.”

This got the girl to flush bright red as she stammered her thanks. Clearly, she wasn’t used to receiving compliments from people, and Bruce filed that away in the back of his mind. He knew Diana wasn’t an easy teacher, but she did give praise and encouragement quite often when it came to their junior heroes. She said they needed it to gain more confidence in their abilities.

So, why did that fluster  _ Marinette _ so much?

Dick groaned but quickly packed away his utility belt.

“I’m really sorry, Nettie. I wish I could’ve shown you more,” he said, rising to his feet. “Maybe next time we hang out?”

Marinette nodded excitedly and hopped to her feet. She let out a tiny squeak of surprise when Dick decided to hug her before returning his hug. Once they separated, Marinette continued to give him a shy smile with her arms behind her back.

“I know how important patrol is,” she sighed. “But Diana will make sure we can hang out again. Right, Di? I really like Dick.”

“Mmm, have a favorite person do we?” Diana gently teased, chuckling as her protege’s face turned bright red. 

Dick wasn’t phased by Diana’s teasing at all. Instead he decided to gently peck Marinette on the cheek before saying, “That’s okay, Nettie. You’re my favorite too. You’re a lot prettier than Roy.”

Bruce groaned before promising Diana that they would talk later. He rounded up Dick, and they began to make their way back to the Batmobile. All the while, Bruce half-listened to Dick chatter on about how Ladybug was such a nice girl, and how he was really excited to teach her the acrobatics he knew. As he watched his protege get lost in thought, Bruce resisted the urge to rub the bridge of his nose.

Goddamn gorgeous Amazons were apparently going to be the death of  _ him _ and  _ his ward. _

The universe sure had a sense of humor.


	7. Day 7: Mantle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daminette with some feels sprinkled in.

Damian could feel his anxiety spike as he sat quietly listening to Jon go on about how he would one day be the next Superman if Connor still didn't want the mantle.

If you'd asked him seven years ago, Damian would have vehemently insisted that he would be the next Batman. His mother had raised him with the intent of taking over not only the mantle of Batman, but as head of the League of Assassins. That expectation had been hauntingly present for most of his childhood, and now the thought made Damian nauseous.

He wasn't sure if he was _ worthy _ of the mantle. When Bruce had 'died', Dick had taken up the mantle. Dick had been a better Batman in certain ways than Bruce had been. Dick had the people skills. Dick had the good heart needed. Dick was better suited than either him or Todd. Drake could pass, but just barely in Damian's opinion. 

But Damian and Jason were  _ damaged _ . 

They'd  _ killed _ people. Something Batman  _ didn't do _ . Batman wasn't a murderer, and it didn't matter how much repentance he did. He would always have that on his soul. Jason would always have that on his soul. Without his father… without Dick… would Damian fall back into his old ways?

"...Damian? Damian? Hey, Damian?"

"Mon oiseau?"

Damian blinked slowly, focusing long enough to realize Jon had stopped talking about being Superman. The dark haired half-kryptonian was standing in front of him now, trying to get his attention. His blue eyes were filled with worry.

Damian also realized that they were no longer alone in his room.

A pair of concerned grey eyes were looking at him as well. The dark haired girl before him was biting her bottom lip as she searched his face. She had one hand, just slightly outstretched, as if she'd considered trying to touch him, but decided against it at the last moment. 

"Marinette?" Damian croaked.

"Alfred told me you and Jon were in here," the Parisian said quietly. "He sent me to tell you lunch is ready, but are you doing alright, Damian? You were really zoned out."

"...I was lost in thought," he replied, standing up. "Alfred said lunch was ready?"

"I was talking about how Conner wasn't sure if he wanted the mantle of Superman, due to him and Dad not having a great start," Jon told Marinette. "Then he started acting weird."

Marinette paused for a moment before giving Jon a soft smile. 

"Jon, I need to talk to Damian about something. Can you let Alfred know that we'll be down in a few?"

"But—"

" _ Jon _ . I want to talk to  _ Damian. Alone _ ."

Jon's blue eyes widened before a huge grin broke out on his face. He winked at Marinette before darting out of the room. He called out that he'd be back in fifteen minutes if they didn't come down themselves. 

Marinette walked over and sat down on the edge of Damian's bed. She took a deep breath before she said, "I'm scared too."

"What?"

"I'm scared too. Of the mantle. Of a legacy. I mean…" she took a shuddering breath, "shortly after Master Fu made me the new Guardian, he lost all his memories. He can't teach me how to  _ be _ the Guardian anymore. I have to figure out how I'm going to decide  _ when _ to pass out the Miraculous and to  _ whom _ . I'll have to decide…"

"Who the new Ladybug is once you decide to retire," Damian finished softly.

"Yeah," Marinette chuckled. "I can't keep Tikki like Master Fu kept Wayzz. She's too powerful, and if the Miraculous  _ needed _ to be in circulation, then Tikki would be needed too. Add in the fact that the Miraculous are usually only used when there is a major threat…well, things get complicated."

"I think Dick should take the cowl," he said quietly. "Dick did it once when Father disappeared. He trained me as his Robin. He was a good Batman."

Marinette gave him a pointed look before replying, "You could be Batman too. Dick doesn't want the cowl from what I've heard."

Damian shook his head before saying, "Once I might have believed that. My mother always told me I was destined to surpass my father… but now—"

"You might be Talia's son, but that doesn't mean you're  _ anything _ like Talia, Damian. You're a lot more like your father than you notice, and he's the  _ original _ Batman."

He was silent for a moment, pondering her words. Suddenly, something Talia had said to him popped into his thoughts. 

**"You could have been something special. It's a pity you have your father's weak heart."**

Damian looked at Marinette who was still giving him a gentle smile. He looked at her outstretched hand and took it, interlacing their fingers. 

"Feel a little better?"

"...yeah."

"You know you can talk to me about this, right? If it ever keeps you up at night, you can call me. It keeps me up too."

Damian smiled a little sadly before saying, "Thanks, Mar. Ready to go eat?"

"Mmhm," she said softly. 

The pair made their way downstairs. Their hands were intertwined still. Damian felt comfort in the feeling of her small hand in his. His dilemma wasn't fully resolved— part of him doubted it ever would be— but he felt a little bit better about things.

Marinette would be there for him, and he'd be there for her.

"FINALLY!!!! I knew it! Pay up, Jason! Marinette did confess to Damian!" they heard Jon cheer.

Damian's green eyes darted to Marinette's now very red face. Her grey eyes were fixed to the floor, and she was biting her lip. She never let go of his hand though. 

He leaned over and gently pecked her cheek. 

"C'mon, Mar. Let's get some lunch before Jason eats it all," Damian teased. 

The smile on her face was worth all the teasing he got from his brothers (and Jon) later. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mon oiseau-French- my bird


	8. Day 8: Spring Fever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason's been gone on a mission. 
> 
> Marinette missed him.
> 
> Jasonette
> 
> Shout out to [ Ethel ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EthelPhantom/pseuds/EthelPhantom) for letting me use her nickname for Jason.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so there's hinted references to sex. Nothing explicit, but if that kind of thing makes you uncomfy, you may want to skip reading this drabble.

She was going to be the _ death _ of him. 

Well, at least this was a better way to go out then the  _ first _ time. 

Sunlight had begun to stream into the room through the curtains, filling the bedroom with dim light. He could feel the bed moving slightly as the other occupant fidgeted beside him. He could  _ also _ feel his partner's hands moving about his  _ body.  _

Jason groaned softly, opening his eyes to see a mischievous pair of grey eyes staring back at him. Her hair was still mussed up from sleep, and her pretty pink lips were pulled into a smile. Her face was slightly flushed, and if he looked down he could see the collection of little bruises he'd left the night before. 

"Sugar, it's  _ way _ too early to be up," he yawned, pulling her against him. "Go back to sleep."

"I don't want to sleep."

Jason fought back a growl as he caught the teasing tone to her voice. She  _ had _ to be playing with him. She couldn't possibly want—

"Pay attention to  _ me _ !" the dark haired beauty demanded, nuzzling her face against his throat. "I need  _ attention. _ "

"I think you got  _ plenty _ las' night, Sugar."

This seemed to displease Marinette as she let out a little whine. Jason rolled his eyes at that before beginning to pepper her face with kisses.

"Awww, does Sugar need attention? Does she need kisses? Does she need all the love?" he cooed teasingly between kisses. 

Marinette pouted for a moment before claiming a heated kiss from her boyfriend.  _ Yes _ , she wanted his attention! He'd been on a mission for  _ two months! _ She just had to endure  _ two months _ of radio silence, not knowing whether Jason was coming home alive or not! 

Could anyone really blame her for being excited to see Jason?

"You could have been  _ dead _ for all I knew—"

"Sugar, I don't think Hell  _ wants  _ me back—"

"Still, mon phénix," Marinette purred. "I  _ missed _ you."

"Missed you too, Sugar. This  _ doesn't _ mean you're gettin' your way though. Let's cuddle for now, and maybe  _ later _ you'll get what you want. Neither of us have anywhere to be today."

Before Marinette could protest, Jason wrapped his arms around her firmly. He kissed her forehead before yawning again.

"I love you, Marinette. I'm sorry I was gone so long. Missed you so damn much. Missed holdin' you close. Missed sleepin' next to you. Missed bein' with you."

Marinette sighed deeply before giving in. Sure, she still wanted attention, but Jason  _ did _ look tired. Snuggling close, she decided she could  _ let _ him win this one… especially with how sweet he was being, still cooing sweet nothings into her ear as he held her tight.

She gently pressed a kiss to his neck before grumbling, "Fine…we'll cuddle for now. I love you, mon phénix."

"Love you too, Sugar."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mon phénix- my phoenix


	9. Day 9: Sleepover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bonus Scene from: The Head Omega
> 
> Adrien and Marinette get Tim to go the FUCK to sleep.
> 
> Tim's finally warming up to the idea of them being pack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No pairings, just fuzzy feelings.

“You need to stop working.”

Tim grunted, still typing away at the document he was struggling to finish. This paperwork needed to be done by the end of the week for Wayne Enterprises. After he was finished with that task, he needed to run several samples through their databases for Bruce. They were concerned with the Scarecrow trying to up his next batch of fear toxin, and one could never be too careful when it came to Dr. Jonathan Crane.

“I’m serious, Tim. You need to sleep.”

Tim continued to ignore the speaker, assuming it was either Bruce or one of his brothers. He vaguely heard the speaker groan before muttering something along the lines of ‘you brought this on yourself’. Suddenly his laptop slammed close, and it was yanked away from him before he could react. He made a move to grab it, but found nothing someone who was most certainly  _ not _ one of his immediate family.

Cat-like green eyes were glaring at him as the blond boy put his hands on his hips. The cotton and sandalwood scent was tinged with irritation. 

“Tim, get up. It’s time for bed. I already gave Mari your laptop, so don’t even  _ think _ about trying to get it back,” Adrien said firmly. “C’mon, we’ve already got the nest ready for you.”

The older omega shifted uncomfortably before replying, “I’ll sleep in my own nest—”

“That is  _ not _ a nest, Tim,” another voice cut in. “You will  _ not _ be sleeping in such a mess! You can’t even  _ relax  _ in it!”

Marinette had returned, but with no laptop in sight. The Head Omega had her arm crossed as well. Her grey eyes fixed him with a stare that reminded Tim he was not going to get out of this easy. Once Marinette decided something, the Waynes had found it  _ excruciatingly _ difficult to get her to change her mind. Tim had yet to succeed once since they’d arrived almost a week ago.

Tim’s nest had been a particular bone of contention that Marinette would  _ not _ let go of.

“It’s good enough!”

“Absolutely not. It smells like you—”

“It’s my nest—”

“It smells like your  _ distress _ , Tim,” Marinette growled. “You aren’t comfortable. You don’t feel  _ safe _ in that nest. Therefore, it’s unacceptable.”

Tim rolled his eyes, not wanting to admit the other omega was right about that. He jolted slightly when Adrien grabbed his one arm and began to pull. Somehow— Tim finally acknowledged that maybe he  _ was _ really tired— Adrien managed to pull him to his feet. He felt palms on his back pushing him in Marinette’s direction.

No matter how much he dug in his heels, Tim could not stop the two Parisian omegas from dragging him into their room. He silently cursed his family, as they just  _ happened  _ to be elsewhere while he was being kidnapped from his room. It was  _ really  _ convenient how that worked out. Damn plotting bastards…

“You guys, this is  _ your _ nest. I don’t  _ belong _ in it,” Tim protested.

“You’re right. It is  _ my nest _ . I’m also Head Omega, so it’s  _ my job _ to decide who gets to share the nest or  _ not _ , isn’t it?” Marinette shot back. “It  _ is _ , by the way,  _ my job _ . You’re an omega in  _ our _ pack. Now get in the nest.”

Tim blinked in shock and confusion once again. 

He still couldn’t believe those words. 

He’d always been an...odd omega. Tim hadn’t had many friends his age, let alone omega friends when he was still with his birth parents. Even after being adopted by Bruce, most of the people he came into contact with were alphas or betas. Sure, the Justice League had other omega heroes, but no one that Tim was  _ close _ to….no one that Tim would trust to teach him how to nest. 

Or that would  _ willingly _ nest with Tim.

Yet, here were these two practically strangers. They were an ocean away from home, from the packs they knew. They had  _ no _ reason to want Tim to nest with them. They had  _ no _ reason to  _ trust _ him. They shouldn’t be  _ allowing _ Tim in. Tim wasn’t a good omega. Tim wasn’t—

A soft whine broke him from his stupor, as he looked to see Adrien tugging his sleeve.

“C’mon, come lay down! I’m tired,” he whined, like a pup denied his favorite toy. “It’ll be just like a sleepover, Tim! My father never let me have those, so please?”

With a stern nod from Marinette, Tim slowly entered the nest. It smelled  _ warm _ and  _ safe _ . Marinette’s scent along with Adrien’s filled his senses, along with faint traces of his own. The nest was soft and comfortable, made of pillows and soft blankets rather than whatever he had laying around in his room. Adrien was already getting comfortable in his spot, purring happily now that Tim was in the nest.

Marinette waited for Tim to lay down and make himself comfortable before going about doing things for herself. She was purring happily as well as she went to turn off the lights. Once that was done, she cuddled up next to Tim, grabbing his arm. She rubbed her cheek against his trapped arm, scenting him.

As Tim settled in, he felt  _ warmth _ fill his body. There was an indescribable  _ rightness _ to being in this nest. It was like he was  _ meant _ to be sandwiched between these two rather insistent omegas. He felt himself begin to purr as he relaxed into their holds, breathing in their combined scent.

_ “This is okay. This is pack. Pack is safe. Our nest is safe. Safe and warm,” _ Tim’s instincts cooed.

The elder omega snuggled into his place allowing the two younger omegas to get closer. This was okay. This was his omega pack. These were his packmates. Tim was safe. They were safe. He could rest. He could sleep. They were safe.

He could sleep.

And sleep Tim did, not hearing the soft snickering of the female omega next to him.


	10. Day 10: Movie Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emilie watches a movie with her boys.
> 
> I squished their ages closer together for this.

Emilie yawned, barely paying attention to the tv in front of her. 

She was sitting in the middle of the couch, a warm blanket over her lap. To her right was her eldest chick, who was fast asleep, his face pressed against her arm. His pitch black hair was messy with sleep, his face lax. He was wearing a tee-shirt and shorts, revealing bandages wrapped around his limbs.

Dick had gotten roughed up on his last mission. He had agreed to stay in for a little bit to give him time to recover upon Emilie’s insistence. The young man seemed glad to be invited to stay and had surrendered to her mother-henning. She’d changed his bandages and made sure he took care of himself.

Her green eyes gazed adoringly at him for a moment before her eyes glided down to her second chick, who was sitting on the other side of Dick. She met his equally green eyes before smiling at him. Her chest warmed as he smiled back at her before turning his attention back to the movie. 

Jason was leaning against the arm of the couch, careful not to put too much weight on Dick’s injuries. He was still close to his brother, but he was also wary with his movements. He was watching the television with one hand in his dark black hair. His glance drifted every so often from the movie he was watching to look at Dick. He would watch his brother for a few minutes before turning his attention away.

The teen looked pissed off, but Emilie knew he wasn’t. Jason was just worried about Dick but was also too stubborn and proud to admit it. He lived for their family movie nights as it was the one time the majority of the family would be together. It was the one night that Jason didn’t have to worry about chasing around any crooks or supervillains and could simply enjoy the comfort of his brothers and mom.

Emilie bit back the chuckle of amusement as she watched Jason adjust the blanket for Dick after the older one had shivered. Her second chick was a lot rougher around the edges than her first, but he had the same good heart deep down. She loved them both so much.

A small whimper brought her attention to her left side. Her brow furrowed softly as she ran a hand through her third chick’s shaggy black hair. The young teen was curled into Emilie’s side. His head was partially in her lap, and he appeared to be having an unpleasant dream. He was wrapped up in his own blanket, practically cocooned in it. She began to hum softly, watching as his face relaxed and the whimpering stopped.

A burning rage settled in her gut as she looked over him. She hated the Drakes. She hated them with all her heart and soul. How could you just  _ leave _ your child? How could Janet Drake have given birth to such a miracle and then promptly  _ pretend _ like he didn’t exist? How could Jack Drake have gone along with it? They  _ could _ have taken their son with them. They  _ could _ have shown him the world.

Instead, they left little Tim behind in a big lonely house with a nanny to make sure he didn’t starve. He was lonely, and sometimes he still felt out of place by Emilie’s side. She knew he wasn’t used to the attention, wasn’t used to having people beside him for hours at a time. He still flinched when his brothers hugged him, and he was still uncertain if he could refer to Emilie as “mom” like the other two boys did. He still wasn’t certain that he  _ belonged _ in their family.

It broke Emilie’s heart.

Especially considering how  _ good _ Tim was with his little brothers.

Tim was the only reason they had  _ found _ Damian.  _ Tim _ had been the one to locate the League of Assassins and find out about Ra’s and Talia’s plan to create the ultimate child using Bruce’s DNA.  _ Tim _ had been the one to plan out the mission to retrieve Damian.  _ Tim _ had been the one to run, holding the infant as tightly as he could to his chest. It was because of  _ Tim _ that Damian had not grown up under the wing of some of the world’s most lethal assassins.

It was also  _ Tim _ who had contacted Bruce about Gabriel around the same time.

Emilie had begun dating a gentleman by the name of Gabriel Agreste after meeting him through her best friend Audrey. At first, things seemed fine. Gabriel was polite and charming, and Emilie thought she had finally gotten over Bruce. Then, Gabriel had begun to  _ change. _

Suddenly, Emilie was no longer allowed to go see her boys. Gabriel had refused to let her  _ out _ of his sight. He began to  _ scare _ her, threatening to hurt the boys if she ever tried to leave him. He tried to force her to cut all ties with her little chicks, but thankfully Tim was smarter than Gabriel had ever given him credit for.

Shortly after giving birth to her and Gabriel’s son, the Batman had arrived to rescue her with their boys. Tim had taken an immediate shine to the newborn boy, and Emilie was more than happy to call Tim Adrien’s big brother.

Adrien, now three,  _ adored _ Tim. The little blond boy loved to learn and was more than happy to have Tim teach him things. Adrien loved playing games with the older boy. Tim adored teaching Adrien as well, as Damian wasn’t as interested in what they were doing.

Damian— who was also three years old— preferred Dick to almost everyone else, though no one was quite certain why. The little boy just seemed to be more interested in his eldest brother’s feats of athleticism. The tiny child had demanded that Dick teach him acrobatics, and Bruce and Emilie had just barely gotten the toddler to agree to wait until he was bigger.

Her fourth and fifth chicks were on the floor, sleeping next to Ace. They were sharing one blanket and looked to be in a more peaceful sleep than their big brother. Damian’s dark hair stood out against Adrien’s brilliant blond, and Emilie couldn’t think of anything cuter.

“...all good, Maman?” Jason whispered, his gaze darting towards Tim as said boy began to whine again.

“Mmhm, I think he’s just having a bad dream,” Emilie replied softly. “Are you tired, my fierce one?”

“No,” he said. “...you still haven’t told us what’s wrong.”

Emilie blinked for a moment before looking over at Jason.

“Why do you think something’s wrong?”

“You’ve been sick a lot these past few months, and you’ve been crying. Alfred said you went to the doctor yesterday when I asked him where you were. If you were sick, you wouldn’t be letting Tim lay across your lap...even though Tim barely fits on your nap now, which is another thing that’s changed. What’s wrong?”

Emilie smiled fondly at Jason. That was her little fierce one, always observant of those around him. It had probably served him well back in Crime Alley, and it was serving him here now. She held out her free hand towards Jason. Once the young man had taken her hand, she squeezed it tightly.

“Nothing’s wrong, Jason,” Emilie smiled. “I wanted to wait until your father was home, but I guess I can tell you now. You’re such a good big brother after all.”

Jason raised an eyebrow at her before Emilie gave him a mischievous look. She really had been waiting until tomorrow, after family movie night, to tell them. Then again, they were all together as a family...why shouldn’t she tell him.

“How would you feel about a little sister, Jason?”


	11. Day 11: Best Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clark is Bruce's best friend. 
> 
> Bruce disagrees.
> 
> Clark may be a little jealous.

Clark Kent had always thought he was Bruce’s best friend.

After all, he was the only one who knew  _ both _ sides of Bruce Thomas Wayne.

He knew the facade that Bruce put on. He knew the fake, happy-go lucky smile of Brucie Wayne. He knew that Bruce never slept with the women the press claimed he had. He knew Bruce wasn’t so shallow with his choice in lovers. While others may not have thought to look any deeper, Clark had always seen a level deeper into Bruce Wayne. The man wasn’t the CEO of a multi-billion dollar corporation by being  _ lucky _ .

Bruce Wayne was just as sharp business wise as the Batman was a detective. He knew the ins and outs of business. He knew how to find legal loopholes. He knew how to smooth talk someone into liking his ideas. He was quick, cunning, and at times,  _ downright ruthless _ . He could hold his own and would improvise weapons should he need to from things he found  _ around his office _ .

Clark Kent also knew him as one of the world’s best— if not the world’s greatest— detective. 

The kryptonian had first met him as Batman, a strong and fierce individual who was determined to protect his city with everything he had. Clark had thought he was a bit of an asshole at the beginning of things. He’d been stubborn, refusing Clark’s help. For a short time, he’d even considered Batman a menace to Gotham due to his method of crime-fighting, which was much different from his own.

He had changed his tune on Batman shortly after they’d been forced to work on a case together. The man had realized that Gotham was a lot different from Metropolis, and that Batman’s style of crime fighting was appropriate for his city. The men had managed to mend any bad blood between them, even though they doubted they’d work together again, as Batman had stated he preferred to work alone.

For as much of a loner as Batman pretended to be, Clark was quick to discover that he was actually a highly motivated team player. He was a brilliant strategist, taking into consideration each individuals’ skills, talents, and powers in order to create a truly unstoppable plan. Batman was also an incredibly kind individual, full of as much compassion as he was rage. He was kind to children, and cruel to only those who had earned his ire.

Clark was privileged to know other personal things about Bruce. He knew that Bruce had lost his parents at eight years old. He knew that Bruce had gone around the world to train and travel, only returning to Gotham at age twenty-five. He knew that barely a year later the man had taken in a small child, a little boy whose parents had also been murdered. Clark knew Bruce loved Dick Grayson as his own and was unspeakably proud of his child.

He’d been passing by Gotham when he decided to stop by the Manor and visit Bruce. It was a surprisingly warm day in the city as it was summer. Dick did not have school at this time, so Clark thought it might be fun to do something with the boy and Bruce.

What he hadn’t been expecting was a sweet looking blonde woman to answer Bruce’s door.

She was  _ tiny _ compared to Clark’s towering six foot three. Her build was slim, looking even more fragile than the average person. She was probably only five foot four, yet there was something about her stance that made him pause. Her shoulders were squared, despite the bright smile on her face, and she was tense. Her green eyes were locked onto him as she stood between him and the inside.

“Hello, how can I help you?” her soft voice asked.

“Um...where’s Alfred?”

“How can I help you?” she repeated, her voice gaining a sharp edge.

“I’m here to see, Bruce—”

“Uncle Clark! Maman, it’s okay! That’s Uncle Clark!” a joyous voice came.

Using his x-ray vision, he was able to spot the small form of one Dick Grayson. He was tugging on the woman’s pant leg excitedly, nearly bouncing in place. He turned his attention back to the woman, whose eyes were darting between Dick and him. She seemed wary, but opened the door a little bit more. This allowed Dick to pop his head out, a wide grin on his face.

“Uncle Clark! You didn’t tell us you were coming to visit! Wait, is Uncle Clark gonna babysit me? Is Bruce finally taking you out on a date, Maman?” the little boy chattered, looking between the two adults.

Date? Bruce didn’t usually invite his dates  _ home _ . Also why was Dick calling this woman mom? Dick’s parents had both passed away, and Clark had never met this woman before. Why was she in Bruce’s house? Who was she? Why hadn’t Clark met her before—

“Oh, Master Clark,” a familiar voice came as Dick pried the door open further. “This is a surprise. Miss Emilie, everything is fine. This is Master Clark Kent. He is a friend of Master Bruce’s. Why don’t we come inside?”

The woman— Emilie— seemed to relax at those words before turning her attention back to Dick. She had held out a hand to the child, and Dick had taken it immediately. He then began talking at a mile a minute, saying that as long as Uncle Clark watched him, he’d be okay if they went out on a date. Emilie just smiled before responding, “Dickiebird, I wasn’t aware of any plans tonight other than our date to watch the  _ Aristocats _ together.”

Dick slapped a hand on his mouth before moaning, “ _ Ooooh noooo! _ What if it was supposed to be a  _ surprise! _ I hope I didn’t ruin anything!”

“I don’t think you did, my little chick,” Emilie cooed. “Why don’t we go get some snacks while we wait for Bruce, hm? As long as it’s okay with Alfred.”

“Of course, Miss Emilie. There should be some cookies for the both of you,” Alfred responded warmly. “I’ll be back in a moment.”

Clark then spotted the man he’d been expecting to see. Alfred was currently drying a dish, and Clark assumed he’d been washing dishes when he’d come to see what Dick was excited about. He fixed a stern gaze on Clark before saying, “Sit in the living room. I’ll inform Master Bruce of your arrival. If Miss Emilie comes to the living room with Master Dick, do not upset her.”

Clark raised an eyebrow, surprised at the low level hostility he’d received. Just what was going on? Was it because of the woman? Clark pondered what that was all about as he made his way to the living room. He wandered around the large room, looking at the photographs that lined the walls before pausing at one he was almost  _ certain _ he’d never seen before.

It was a picture of two small children. The dark haired child was clearly a very young Bruce. His blue eyes were averted from the camera and the other child. He looked... _ embarrassed _ , holding a handful of tulips and covered with dirt. The other child was a little girl with blonde hair and big green eyes. She had a bright smile and was holding out her hands to accept the tulips from him.

If Clark had to guess...this was a picture from  _ before _ .

Before Bruce’s parents had died.

Bruce  _ never _ hung up pictures of the before times. 

“What are you doing here, Clark?” a low voice asked.

Clark jumped before turning to see the  _ very _ annoyed face of his best friend. Bruce was dressed in a black sweater and black dress pants. His arms were crossed, and he looked extremely disgruntled.

“I was around Gotham, and I  _ thought _ I’d come to see my best friend,” Clark said, crossing his arms. “Who is that lady, and why is Dick calling her mom?”

“That  _ lady _ is my best friend.”

“Wait, but  _ I’m _ your best friend. You barely  _ had _ friends before me!”

“Emilie has  _ always _ been my best friend, Clark.”

Clark’s eyes went back to the photo before a horrifying realization hit him.

Bruce wasn’t  _ just _ friends with this Emilie.

He was in  _ love _ with Emilie.

He’d been in love with Emilie since they were  _ children _ .

And he never  _ told _ Clark.

“Why didn’t you—”

“She already knows too much.”

Clark watched Bruce curl into himself with barely suppressed rage.

“She was determined to never lose track of me, even after I did my little disappearing act. She knows about my training. She found out about Batman. She connected the dots all by herself, and then she found out about Robin. I felt  _ guilty _ enough about bringing Dick into this,” he growled. “She knows about Batman, but she doesn’t know how  _ deep  _ in I really am. If I introduce her to you, a connection to the Justice League, how much more danger am I putting Emilie in?”

“If she knows about Batman—”

“She’s also usually  _ in Paris _ . Outside Gotham. She has no connection to the Batman outside of the fact she visits Gotham. You’re a connection to Batman.”

"For the last time Bruce, my identity isn't at risk!"

"You sure as hell don't protect it—"

"I protect it just fine! I'm just not as paranoid as you—"

" _ Bruce _ ," a strained voice interrupted. 

Both men turned to see Emilie standing in the entrance to the living room. She had a tense smile on her face. She looked at Bruce before saying, "Dick wants to know what kind of cookies you want. Can you go to the kitchen and talk to him?"

Bruce looked ready to argue with Emilie until the tiny blonde gave him the fiercest glare Clark had  _ ever _ seen a woman give him. Well barring Diana, there were few women who could glare at Bruce like that. To the Kryptonian's immense shock, Bruce  _ gave in _ .

He gave Clark a look that clearly said they weren't finished with their discussion before storming out of the room to go see his son. 

Clark didn't move as Emilie approached, watching the tiny woman closely. Her eyes landed on the picture and grinned brightly. She looked up at him and said, "Alfred must have hung up that picture. That was the day Bruce called me a stupid girl, and I started crying. I can't even remember what we had fought about, but he felt bad for making me cry. Bruce went into his mother's flower bed and picked his mother's tulips as an apology. His mother was  _ furious _ , but luckily Bruce didn't get into trouble. I was able to get him out of it by crying again."

"You knew his parents?" Clark asked in surprise.

"My dad did. He brought me to Gotham for the first time after he divorced my mother. I was five years old. Bruce was six. He complained about having to play with a little girl at first, but he warmed up to me eventually," Emilie explained. "We came back the next two summers after that. I had to beg my father to come with him to his parents funeral. He didn't want me to see it, but I wanted to see Bruce. I threatened him to keep bringing me back too."

"You threatened your father?" Clark asked, feeling an uneasy feeling wash over him. 

"You bet I did. He would leave me alone for hours on end to be with his mistresses. He only took me in the divorce because he wanted to hurt my mom, and he liked me more than my twin," she replied, her smile now showing teeth. "So I threatened to tell my teacher I was being neglected and that they'd send me to live with Mom instead."

"...does Bruce know?"

"No, I never told him about that. I visited every summer until Bruce was seventeen. While I didn't see Bruce for a few years… well, I didn't lose track of him. When he returned to Gotham so did I. I discovered some things, but I never left. I never wanted to."

"You do know that—"

"That Batman is more than a hobby? Of course I do, I'm not stupid. Bruce can pretend till kingdom come that I don't know, but I do. Batman is more of who Bruce is than Bruce Wayne. I just...I don't let him know."

"Why not?"

Emilie took a deep breath before rubbing her face. 

"He's already lost so much… and I know he's afraid of losing me too. He doesn't have to worry so much about you. You're a nearly indestructible alien. I'm just a Frenchwoman. If it makes him worry less and feel better thinking that I don't know about it, then so be it."

Clark opened his mouth to speak before Emilie raised her eyebrow.

"Clark Kent from Metropolis, friend of Bruce Wayne, who happens to be Batman? I'll eat my goddamn shoe if you're not Superman," she grinned. "Now Monsieur Kent, would you like to accompany me to the kitchen? Dick wanted you to have some cookies too."

Clark nodded, feeling a little dumbfounded. 

"Don't worry, I won't tell. Wouldn't want my little Robin becoming more of a target than he already is out of the suit. Let's go before Bruce thinks we've killed each other," she said, green eyes glittering. 

The Kryptonian followed the woman silently without another word. In their small discussion, she'd proven to be observant, devious, and not afraid to use underhanded methods to get what she wanted. Emilie could be a potentially dangerous woman, and Clark felt a chill go up his spine when he looked at her.

He didn't say anything to Bruce about his uneasy feelings. He couldn't.

Not with the way his face lit up when she walked back into the room. Not when Dick smiled so brightly at her after she kissed the top of his head. Not when two of his loved ones appeared so happy to have her around. 

Clark decided that he would keep an eye on this "best friend" of Bruce's. She could be a threat, and after all,  _ Clark _ was Bruce's best friend.


	12. Day 12: Domestic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason goes to the grocery store and makes a friend.

Jason Todd-Wayne was an  _ extremely  _ attractive individual. 

Not many would deny this fact. Gotham had watched him grow from a baby-faced pre-teen to a  _ stunning  _ young man over six feet tall. His face had long since shed the baby fat, revealing sharp cheekbones and jaw. His green eyes were captivating, usually holding a hint of mischief that made one wonder what the man was thinking of. His black hair was often left to do its own thing, often giving him that 'just rolled out of bed' look.

He was well built too, broad shoulders and thick thighs. He looked like he could kill a man with ease, and his fashion choice of leather didn't help much. The media called him a reckless bad boy who was infamous for breaking hearts around Gotham. They painted him as irresponsible, selfish, and conceited in all the  _ right  _ ways. A bad boy who played by his own rules.

Maeve Trevor would  _ never _ be able to look at those tabloids the same. 

Maeve would never be able to look at the  _ Waynes _ the same way again. 

Because standing five feet in front of her was the notorious Jason Todd-Wayne with a  _ baby carrier _ attached to his chest. A tiny baby with thick black hair was sleeping against his chest while two  _ slightly older _ children sat in one of those monstrous children carts, babbling away at him.

He had made an  _ attempt _ to disguise himself. Instead of his usual leather jacket, he wore a dark black hoodie with sweats and a baseball cap. It appeared he hadn’t shaved yet, dark stubble trailing across his jaw. Upon first glance, you wouldn’t have assumed it was Jason, especially with the way he was rubbing the sleeping baby’s back while pushing the cart one-handedly while she whined.

"Yeah, I know. I don't wanna be up either, but Maman's feeling under the weather, so we're gonna shop for groceries today," he told the two older children. "7am on Sundays are for sleeping, but we've got things to do."

The children in the cart couldn't have been older than two. One had strawberry blonde hair and icy blue eyes. She was grinning happily at Jason, her little head tilted back so she could see him. The other child had golden blonde hair and similar icy blue eyes. She had her thumb in her mouth and was gazing intently at him, head back like the other. Both little girls were dressed in what Maeve was certain were fuzzy bear onesies.

They were strapped into the two seats that were connected to a full sized shopping cart. This made the cart twice as difficult to push as a regular one, and it was much harder to navigate turns. This didn’t seem to bother Jason any, and Maeve was thrown into a tizzy trying to figure out how he was pushing it with  _ one hand _ .

"Thankfully, Maman makes a list. And we’re almost done getting everything," the man said to the children. "I will never understand how you little chickies can be awake so bright and early. Sophia gets it. Sophia isn’t happy about this,” he said, gesturing with a nod to the little baby.

“Jay-jay wan’ out,” the blonde haired little girl said, removing her thumb from her mouth.

“No, Ode. You stay in the cart with Cosette,” Jason responded. “I can’t hold you and Phia at the same time kiddo. I need one free hand to grab the stuff.”

Maeve watched quietly, pretending to browse the cereal section while Jason picked up some boxes of cereal. He was methodical and surprisingly efficient considering he had to argue with ‘Ode’ about staying in the cart. Even when he looked away from her, he always seemed to notice the second the child started playing with her buckle.

“Ode, no.”

“Bored, Jay-jay.”

“Ode, I said no.”

“No more sit.”

“Ode, you need to stay in the cart.”

“No more sit, Jay-jay.”

The brown haired woman couldn’t help but bite her lip, trying to stifle her own laughter. Little Ode seemed determined to get out of that seat and wasn’t pleased with Jason foiling her attempts by catching her. The child beside her seemed to giggle every time Jason spoke, clearly amused by what was going on. The baby only whined every so often, clearly displeased that her sleep was being disturbed.

Maeve grabbed a box of Kix cereal and put it in her basket before catching a hint of movement out of the corner of her eye.

The other little girl, the strawberry blonde, had slipped out from her seat while Jason was arguing with Ode. She went to walk away from them when a strong arm scooped her off her feet. The little girl giggled and laughed as Jason held her in one strong arm while Ode was in his other arm.

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, Cosette,” he sighed. “Look, I know it’s tough kiddo, but you’ve gotta sit in the cart. We’re almost done.”

“Jay-jay, juice!” Cosette said, pointing a bit further down the aisle. “Jay-jay, juice!”

“You want juice, Cosette?” Jason asked.

“Mmhm! Juice!” she chirped, kicking her feet.

“Well then, you have to stay in the cart.”

“Nooooooo, wan’ juice!” she whined in response. “No sit! Juice!”

Ode began kicking her feet as well, beginning to raise a fuss. Maeve saw a look of exhaustion pass over his face before resignation. She then coughed into her fist, drawing attention to herself for the first time since she ran into them. She felt a shiver travel down her spine as those green eyes met hers. She took a deep breath before asking, “Do you need a hand?”

She felt her stomach roll as he sized her up for a few moments. He looked suspicious, as he had every right to be. People didn’t often offer help without wanting something else, and he was a famous individual. She didn’t feel offended, but she didn’t back down. She gave him a gentle smile, trying to show that she was not a threat to him or the children.

“Jaay-jaaaay! Juuuuuuuuice!” Cosette whined, kicking her feet harder.

This new flurry of movement took Jason by surprise, causing Cosette to slip from his grip.

Maeve moved quickly, dropping her basket. She managed to catch the little girl, scooping the child up. The brunette adjusted her grip, putting Cosette on her hip. The tiny child’s eyes were wide as they started to well up with tears.

“Shh, it’s okay. You gave yourself quite a scare there, didn’t you?” Maeve said, rubbing the little girl’s back. “See, that’s why your," she paused to glanced at him, "Dad, didn’t want you to get out of the cart. You could fall down and get hurt.”

Cosette sniffled, holding on tightly to the woman as she cried. Maeve continued to rub her back, gently bouncing her to try and calm the child down. She turned her attention back to Jason, who had fixed his hold on Ode. The suspicion was still there in his eyes, but his body was not as tense as before.

“She’s fine,” Maeve told him. “Gave herself a right good scare, but I caught her before she hit the ground.”

“Thank you,” he breathed. “God, I thought Maman was going to  _ kill  _ me. B is going to flip when he figures out I took the kids out already, but if she got  _ hurt _ —”

“I can hold her if you want to keep shopping. We can do our shopping together if you’d like. An extra set of hands couldn’t hurt, right?”

Jason considered this for a second before nodding. “I’ll make it up to you. I promise I will. My name is Jason.”

She smiled brilliantly at him before responding, “Maeve Trevor. So, you call your adopted dad’s wife, mom?”

“She was friends with B for a long time before they got married. When he adopted us, she did too in a sense. She took care of us when we were sick. She played games with us. She...she did things that a mom was supposed to do, you know?” Jason answered quietly. “She’s always been our Maman, even if she's not biologically.”

“But you don’t call 'B' dad?”

“Eh...he was always kind of weird about that. Sometimes we do, but not often.”

“So these are B and Maman’s kids?” Maeve said, purposefully avoiding their actual names.

Jason seemed to appreciate that, nodding as he tried to strap Ode back into the seat.

“Aurelia’s the one you have in your arms. I call her by her middle name Cosette. The little gremlin who won’t stay in her seat is Odette, Aurelia’s twin. The baby who is probably going to start wailing in a few moments if I don’t settle her down is Sophia.”

“Aurelia Cosette,” Maeve hummed. “What a pretty name. And you’ve got such a cute little outfit on. Are you a little bear?”

The little girl sniffled a few more times before nodding.

“Well then, I think you and your sister are the cutest little bears I’ve ever seen!”

Aurelia, or Cosette as Maeve had been mentally referring to her as, began to smile. Maeve felt herself return the smile as she looked at those tiny blue eyes. She then turned her attention back to Jason, who was still struggling to buckle Odette in. She scooped up her basket before poking Jason’s lower back.

“Idea time. You take my basket, I take Odette. Frees up your hands, and I can still get my groceries too,” Maeve said sweetly. “C’mere, little bear.”

Odette wiggled from Jason’s grip, holding her arms out to Maeve. She gently adjusted the two children, putting a child on each hip. Both children held onto Maeve tightly as they looked towards Jason. Both had big smiles on their faces, and Jason just sighed in response.

“Fine, but when Maeve gets tired, you both are going to sit back in the cart,” he told the twins, gently bouncing to soothe Sophia.

The brunette smiled before saying, “Alright, let’s do this! What’s next on your list?"

“Juice! Juice!” Aurelia said.

“She’s right. It’s juice.”

——————————

Bruce was  _ not _ happy at the moment.

Alfred was currently in England on vacation, leaving the inhabitants of the manor to do things for themselves. Normally, this wasn’t a problem. However, Dick was in Bludhaven, so he couldn’t assist with anything. Tim was busy with work, and he could barely take care of himself to begin with. Damian and Adrien were currently with Jon in Metropolis as both Bruce and Clark had agreed the three children needed some time to relax and be kids.

Bruce had just finished the laundry when he realized that his daughters were gone...as was his second eldest son. Jason had left a note telling Bruce that he and the girls were going to go grocery shopping for them as Emilie wasn’t feeling too well. Two things about that were concerning to him.

One,  _ Jason _ would be out in public with twin two year olds and a five-month old baby. 

Jason Todd-Wayne would be out and about with  _ three _ small children in a crime-ridden city. The  _ last _ person that the public would expect to be out with children. The press was going to have a  _ fit _ if they found out about Sophia, as he’d managed to keep his youngest daughter out of the public eye at the moment.

Two, Emilie wasn’t feeling well again.

Emilie had been down with the flu shortly after giving birth to Sophia, but she seemed to have been on the road to recovery. Bruce had been worried before, but now he was concerned it wasn’t just the flu. He quickly made his way towards the master bedroom to check on his wife while dialing Jason’s cell number. He put the phone to his ear as he opened the door, peering in.

He spotted his wife’s blonde hair standing out against their dark sheets. She looked to be sleeping peacefully as Bruce approached her. She stirred slightly, hazy green eyes opening slowly.

“Bruce?”

“Hey, Emmie? Jaybird said you were feeling under the weather,” he said, sitting beside her as the phone rang.

“Yeah, it’s not a big deal, mon râuler. My stomach has been upset, and I’m exhausted. Jaychick agreed to take the girls so I could sleep.”

“Did Jason tell you he was going to the grocery store with the girls?”

“HE WHAT?!”

Bruce jumped up as his wife bolted out of bed. Emilie threw her robe on as Jason picked up the call.

_ “What’s up, B?” _

“Jason, why didn’t you tell your mother you were taking the girls to the grocery store?”

_ “Because she’d freak out like I’m certain you’re doing right now? Relax, Maman’s still asleep, and I’m on my way home. I got all the groceries, and everyone is in one piece.” _

“...Jason, I told your mother.”

The line was silent for a few moments before his son’s strained voice said,  _ “B, why? Why would you do that to Maman? Tell her I’m pulling up in the driveway right now. Maeve will bring the twins in, and I’ll bring the baby.” _

“Jason, who’s Maeve—”

_ “The twins made a friend in the grocery store, long story short.” _

Bruce sighed, telling Jason to hurry up as he raced out of the room after his irate wife, who was already halfway down the stairs..

“Emmie, Jason said he’s pulling up in the driveway with the girls right now. It’s okay—”

“He took the babies. He took them  _ without _ telling  _ me _ . That’s not okay, Bruce! Why would he—”

“Um...I’m sorry? Am I interrupting something?” a concerned voice asked.

This was followed by two delighted shouts of “Maman! Maman!”

Bruce and Emilie paused, seeing a brunette woman standing in the foyer with one twin on either hip. Both little girls were smiling brightly upon seeing their mother, waving happily. They got even more excited when they saw Bruce a few feet behind her.

“Daddy! Daddy! Jay-jay an’ Mae go’ juice! Ode an’ I go’ juice!” Aurelia said, trying to wiggle out of the woman’s grasp.

“Woah, hold on Cosette! Let me set you down, or you’ll fall,” the woman said, gently setting the two year old down.

Emilie raced to the bottom of the stairs as Aurelia ran over to her mother. She scooped up her daughter, hugging her tight and kissing her face. The child giggled and laughed before telling her maman all about their trip to the grocery store. 

Bruce joined his wife as Aurelia told her mother about the ‘nice Mae’ who made ‘mean Jay-jay’ give her and Odette juice boxes. He looked at the woman still holding his other daughter on her hip, noting that the little blond was just sucking her thumb quietly, watching her sister chatter away.

He went to ask about Sophia when Jason walked in with a car seat. He spotted his youngest daughter fast asleep sucking on her pacifier silently. Jason looked at Maeve, confused before realizing both of his parents were standing in front of them.

“Maman, you should be in bed—”

“Jason Peter Todd-Wayne, how  _ dare _ you take your sisters out of this house without  _ telling _ me,” she turned on him with a huff.

“Maman, you were  _ resting _ . I didn’t want to wake you up because I knew you’d insist on coming with me.”

“Then why didn’t you tell your father?”

“Bruce was doing laundry, and everyone else was out. Would you have preferred if I went to the grocery store by myself, leaving the twins and Sophia unsupervised?”

Emilie paused for a moment, one finger raised. She blinked twice before putting her hand back down before huffing, “Next time, Jason,  _ please _ tell me before you go? That way I don’t wake up to your father telling me the girls are gone?”

“Deal, and I’d like you to meet someone. Maman, this is Maeve Trevor. She helped me finish the shopping. Maeve, this is my maman, Emilie Wayne,” Jason said, gesturing to the brunette.

Maeve smiled nervously before holding out her hand.

“You’ve got adorable little girls, Mrs. Wayne. I’m glad I could help,” she said.

Emilie shook the other woman’s hand before apologizing.

“I’m so sorry Jason dragged you into this. I’m sure you had better things to do today. How can we repay you?”

“Maman, I’ve got it,” Jason said. “Why don’t you take Maeve and the girls into the living room while B and I grab the groceries?”

“Here, Mrs. Wayne. Why don’t you take Odette, and I’ll carry Sophia’s seat?” Maeve suggested.

Emilie nodded, taking Odette from Maeve. She waited for the young lady to pick up the car seat before gesturing for Maeve to follow her. The brunette followed quickly, holding Sophia’s car seat with both arms. She felt anxious, wondering what was going to happen next.

Emilie Wayne-Graham de Vanily was portrayed by the media as a goddamn  _ saint _ . She was the woman infamous for getting  _ the _ playboy Bruce Wayne to settle down after all these years. Every single one of the Wayne boys had mentioned her in several interviews as their  _ mother _ despite all of them being adopted. The boys clearly loved her, and in return, so did most of Gotham. She was the princess to Gotham’s prince, and Maeve never  _ dreamed _ that she would meet her in person.

“Maeve, was it? I really must thank you. I know Jason meant well, but I knew he couldn’t handle taking them out by himself—”

“He honestly didn’t do such a bad job. I was surprised. The press makes him out to be this huge, irresponsible jerk,” Maeve interrupted. “He’d be a good dad. He was focused on the girls and was responsive to their needs. The only time he struggled was when a certain  _ someone _ thought she would just go get juice while Odette was demanding to get out of the cart.”

“Did he now?”

“Yes.”

Emilie smiled at Maeve as they arrived in the living room. She set the twins down and let them run off to play with their toys. She watched as the twins settled down in the middle of the room, ensuring they were safe before looking at the brunette. Once Maeve set Sophia’s car seat down, Emilie gently unbuckled her infant, picking up the dark haired baby. Her eyes scanned over the baby, feeling her body relax as she noted the little one was completely fine.

Maeve just watched quietly, feeling the shock subside as she watched Emilie hold Sophia close. Suddenly, the blonde woman wasn’t just a face on the newspaper. She was a real, breathing woman. She was a mother, who had been worried about her babies. She wasn’t this mysterious Frenchwoman who had come out of nowhere to claim the heart of Bruce Wayne.

The brunette began to feel the way she had back in the grocery store with Jason.

When it had been just the two of them, it hadn’t felt like Maeve was shopping with  _ the _ Jason Todd-Wayne. He wasn’t the irresponsible bad boy that they made him out to be. Sure, he had an attitude, but he was also surprisingly  _ gentle _ . He was never rough with the girls and had been attentive to them.

Despite Aurelia and Odette wanting to cause mischief, Jason still bounced on his heels or rubbed Sophia’s back at the slightest whimper. When Aurelia had pinched her finger trying to grab a can of corn, Jason had kissed her finger and waited until she was done crying to continue shopping. When Odette nearly tripped, Jason had stuck out his leg to give her something to grip onto to keep herself upright. It seemed that no matter what he was doing, he was always watching the kids out of the corner of his eye.

It was sweet...and  _ other _ things that Maeve couldn’t quite put into words.

Now Maeve was sitting next to Mrs. Emilie Wayne, who was snuggling her infant and watching the twins play. The woman was in a simple robe with her hair a mess and a relaxed smile as her husband and son brought in the groceries. It was surreally domestic to think about, and it made Maeve wonder just how much she and others were missing.

“Mae pway?” a small voice asked.

Maeve’s attention snapped back to reality as she looked at little Odette. The blonde child was holding out a little stuffed cat, pressing it insistently into her hands. She took the stuffed cat as Odette informed her its name was Kitty. The brunette smiled before glancing once at Emilie. When she didn’t see any hostility or fear, Maeve stood up and allowed Odette to lead her over to where Aurelia was sitting with a black plush dog. 

“Okay, so what are we playing?” she asked the girls.

“Doctor! You doctor!” Aurelia said. “Right, Ode?”

“Mmhm!”

The last thing Maeve Trevor expected to do on a Sunday was spend time with one of Gotham’s most wealthy families. Even more unexpected was the fact that underneath it all, some things were the same and some things were completely different. Emilie really was just that nice. Bruce was smarter than the press gave him credit for. Jason did have a  _ very _ large soft spot called his family and wasn’t as reckless as one would suspect.

She’d also learned things that the press didn’t know.

Bruce would bend to Emilie’s will without much of a fight. Emilie was sharper and more cunning than anyone knew. Jason read and was a huge fan of classic literature, hence why he called Aurelia by her middle name Cosette. Jason was also wrapped tightly around his sisters’ little fingers, and he responded to them almost immediately.

Emilie would later ask her why she smiled so softly at Jason while he was busy playing with the girls.

Maeve would simply respond that, in her personal opinion, the domestic life suited Jason far better than his persona.

Emilie would smile broadly in return and say, “I’m glad someone else agrees with me.”


	13. Day 13: Pet names/Nicknames

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look into the nicknames/pet names Tim's received in his life, and his relationship to their givers.

Timothy Jackson Drake was not used to receiving  _ affection _ in any form.

Sure, his parents had hugged him on the occasions they  _ remembered _ his existence. They had given him presents. They had left him with a nanny to ensure he would be fed. They had made sure that Tim had enough money to get whatever he wanted...but they had  _ never _ taken him with them.

Jack and Janet Drake had gone off on these archeological adventures for months at a time, leaving little Tim to sit in an empty manor. The nanny had been uninvolved at best. She had ensured that he was fed, bathed, clothed, and attended school. That was about as much attention as he had ever gotten from the older woman. So long as she could collect her paycheck from the Drakes, she had been a happy woman.

_ “Timothy, it’s time for school.” _

_ “Timothy, did you finish your homework?” _

_ “Timothy, get inside this instant!” _

Oh, how the little boy had grown to  _ hate _ his name.

The nanny had always called him Timothy. His parents had sometimes called him Tim, but most often it was “This is our son, Timothy. Say hi, Timothy.” How impersonal was it to call your child by their full name all the time? Most parents had a nickname for their children. Even  _ Bruce Wayne _ , someone his father had scoffed at most of his childhood, had a nickname for his  _ adopted _ sons. 

Richard Grayson was Dick or Dickie. Rarely had Bruce  _ ever _ referred to Dick as Richard, unless he had been formally introducing the boy. Bruce was always smiling when he spoke to his son. He was always warm, and Dick had often hugged him. It was a relationship Tim had been envious of for most of his childhood.

When Dick left, it had been Jason Todd who had Bruce’s affectionate nicknames. Jason Todd was lovingly referred to as Jaylad by the billionaire. Jason hadn’t hugged Bruce as much as Dick had, but Jason had allowed Bruce to ruffle his hair. Jason had given Bruce half-hugs, and Bruce had always returned them.

Then Jason had disappeared.

Tim had watched as Bruce, who was Batman, spiraled out of control. The man had become increasingly more violent, beating criminals close to death. Things had been very confusing during that time as Tim couldn’t find any evidence of  _ what _ had happened. There had been no funeral. There had been  _ nothing _ .

The question had lingered in his mind for  _ months _ .

Had Jason Todd been killed performing his duties as Robin?

Tim had sought out Bruce after that. He hadn’t been able to watch the man he’d admired for so long tear himself apart. He hadn’t wanted Bruce Wayne to destroy himself, driven by pain and loss. Batman needed a Robin. Batman had lost his Robin. Tim had been determined to  _ be _ the new Robin.

Because Tim had needed Robin as much as Bruce had.

Tim had known it was going to be a difficult and rough road, but if Bruce Wayne could love Dick Grayson and Jason Todd, then maybe there could be hope for Tim. If Tim could become the new Robin, then perhaps Bruce would adopt him too. Perhaps Dick Grayson would come back, even if he had rejected becoming Robin again. Perhaps Tim could find a family…

Despite these hopes, the first time Bruce had called him kiddo, Tim hadn’t  _ believed it _ .

Tim had gotten cornered by one of Scarecrow’s goons after being dosed with fear gas. He had been deep in the gas’s hold when he felt strong arms wrap around him. He had screamed and cried and thrashed, terrified and certain he was going to die. His attacker had managed to avoid his blows and had cradled him against their body.

He had then heard the deep baritone of someone familiar going, “Hey, hey, it’s me! Hold on,  _ kiddo _ . I’ve gotcha. I’ve gotcha  _ kiddo _ .”

After the antidote had kicked in, Tim had spotted Bruce, still cradling him tightly. He kept whispering comforting things to Tim as he took the boy back to the cave. That entire time, Bruce referred to Tim as  _ kiddo _ .

Tim couldn’t have been happier.

Dick had come to the manor a few days later. After the fear gas incident, Dick had insisted upon accompanying Tim on patrols. Despite both Tim and Bruce insisting that they would be fine, Dick hadn’t taken no for an answer. He had suited up as Nightwing and followed Robin’s patrol routes, offering the younger boy tips.

It had taken Bruce  _ four months _ to call him kiddo.

It had taken Dick  _ three days _ to call him baby bird.

They had been patrolling when Tim had spotted a mugging in progress. Tim had leapt down to help the victim, but had missed one mugger pulling out a gun. Dick had leapt into action, knocking Tim out of the way.

_ “Watch out, baby bird!” _

Tim had been stunned momentarily, but with Dick’s help, they’d managed to stop the mugging. The man had been grateful to the two heroes, thanking them profusely before heading home. Dick had turned to make sure Tim wasn’t hurt, and Tim had begun to sniffle a little bit.

_ “Baby bird! Are you hurt? Where does it hurt?” _

Tim had shaken his head, fighting back the tears. How could he begin to describe the feeling in his chest to Dick? How could he have described how  _ good _ it had felt to be referred to by something other than Timothy? How could he have told Dick that it had finally felt like he’d had a family to rely on?

Dick had gotten him some ice cream before taking him home that night. He had reassured Tim that he was doing a good job and deserved a treat. Dick had also asked him how Bruce was and how Tim was faring with him. The pair had talked for hours, and by the end of it, Tim had felt better than he had in years. 

Dick had given Tim his phone number that night, and Tim had kept in contact with his big brother. Dick had been a rock in the storm. Dick had always been there for his siblings, even if he was fighting with Bruce. Dick had helped Tim through more than he could remember. If Tim had really thought about it, Dick had been the first piece of his family. Dick had been the first to open his arms to Tim and call him his brother.

Dick had been the one to hold him steady when Jason and Emilie woke up.

Jason had been livid with Bruce.

In Jason’s eyes, Bruce had replaced him with Tim. Jason had been in  _ a coma, near death _ , and Bruce had gotten a  _ new Robin _ ?! The Joker had kidnapped and  _ nearly murdered him _ , and this was Bruce’s first thought! Jason had demanded to know if he was really that  _ replaceable _ to Bruce.

Bruce had said nothing. The man had looked down at his feet while Jason screamed at him, Dick, and Tim. Bruce had just  _ stood there _ while Jason called Tim  _ the replacement _ . Tim had run out of the room to get away from the screaming, only to run into a pretty blonde woman with beautiful green eyes. She had been wearing a hospital gown and had a confused look on her face.

The second she saw tears, the woman had pulled him into a tight hug. She had gently rocked him back and forth, allowing Tim to sob his little heart out. Once he’d cried all his tears, she had introduced herself as Emilie Graham de Vanily. She had smiled at him and kissed his forehead before asking him what was the trouble.

Tim had found himself seated next to her on an uncomfortable hospital bench as he sobbed about what Jason had said to him. He cried, explaining how he didn’t want to  _ replace _ Jason. He had just wanted to help Bruce, who was really hurting over Jason’s condition. He told her that Bruce had blamed himself for what had happened, and that it had slowly torn the man apart. He explained that Bruce had  _ needed _ him, not to  _ replace _ Jason, but so that Bruce could move forward.

He had then told Emilie that he  _ understood. _ He knew how it looked, him appearing in the hospital room. He knew that Jason was just waking up after losing a chunk of time to his injuries. He had empathized, saying that it must have been frightening to wake up with months having passed without him knowing. It must have been terrifying to see Dick in that room with his arm wrapped around another boy. It must have been terrifying to see that Bruce had adopted another child.

All while Jason was  _ close to death. _

Emilie had just smiled at Tim, wiping the tears from his face.

_ “Well, my little wise chick, it seems we have a problem. It seems like Jason misunderstood Bruce, and Bruce doesn’t know how to handle Jason. Why don’t we wait for them to settle down? Dick will probably try to talk to Jason first. Once he’s calm, we can talk to him.” _

_ “Why would he want to talk to me?” _

_ “He might not, wise chick...but I know my little fierce chick. Once he knows you’re not here to replace him, he’ll warm up to you. Right now he’s scared...and I’m a little scared too. We’ve been asleep for a while, and we’ve got a lot to catch up on. Now, what’s your name?” _

_ “I’m Timothy Drake. Bruce adopted me...he adopted me when he realized my parents didn’t take care of me.” _

_ “It’s very nice to meet you, my little wise chick.” _

And that nickname stuck as well.

Jason had continued to call Tim the replacement, though it did eventually lose its bite. With help from Emilie, the two actually built up a hesitant friendship. Jason was actually a good conversationalist and had tips and tricks that were different from Dick’s. Tim, in return, helped find classic novels for Jason to read in his spare time. The pair both enjoyed games, and Tim knew some that Jason had never heard of.

_ “Replacement, come say goodbye to Maman.” _

_ “She’s leaving?” _

_ “Yeah, she lives in Paris. She’s got to take care of some stuff considering our whole...situation, but she comes around every summer and the holidays. You’ll see her at Christmas. _

Emilie, or Maman as Jason called her, had nicknames for all three of them. Dick was her cheerful chick. Jason was her fierce chick. Tim was her wise chick. Emilie had explained that she chose wise for Tim based off of his reactions at the hospital. Tim could have chosen to be angry with Jason, but he’d had the empathy and wisdom to see where Jason was coming from. Tim had chosen to forgive Jason, rather than hold the other boy’s fear against him.

_ “There are many adults who have troubles with that, my wise chick. Never lose that good heart of yours. No matter what your head says, don’t lose your heart. It can be just as wise.” _

Tim was going to listen to Emilie.

Every fiber of logic was  _ screaming  _ at him that this was a bad idea. He could hear them in his head, telling him that this was possibly the  _ stupidest _ thing Tim had ever considered doing.

_ “Kiddo, this is suicide!” _

_ “Baby bird, it’s too dangerous!” _

_ “Replacement, are you cracked in the head? Ra’s isn’t going to let you leave once he’s finally got you!” _

_ “Be careful, my wise chick...don’t go without your brothers.” _

Thinking of Emilie made his chest hurt.

That was another thing Tim needed to fix.

And he would, as soon as he saved Bruce’s only biological child from the League of Assassins.


	14. Day 14: White Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU where Chloe, Kagami, and Marinette become friends after Lila arrives. All three apply to be exchange students and get to go to America.
> 
> Kagami has a crush on a guy in her physics class.
> 
> She gave him chocolate without realizing the consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the confusion:
> 
> Kagami didn't realize guys were going to give her things back on Feb. 14th for two reasons:  
> 1\. She's from Japan, where they invented White Day.  
> 2\. Most guys were too terrified to give anything to our poor Dragon baby, so she's used to just not getting anything, regardless of the date.
> 
> Also I'm here for Letting Kagami Be a Teenage Girl with Feelings 2020. It says that after befriending people outside her mom, Kagami became more playful and fun-loving. So why can't she be the really shy girl who sometimes isn't confident because "Mom's not around, so I don't have to fake it!"

“Why were you surprised when that boy gave you a Valentine?”

A dark haired Japanese girl turned to her best friends before stammering, “Tha-that’s not-that’s not how it goes in Japan!”

The blonde beside her raised an eyebrow before going, “Um, it’s  _ Valentine’s Day _ , how much different could it be in Japan?”

The other dark haired girl rolled her grey eyes before going, “Queenie, not all places are the same. Remember our talk?”

“Oh hush, Buginette! I wasn’t saying it to be mean...did it come out mean? I’m sorry if it did, Ryū!” the blonde said, blue eyes looking at her friend.

“No, Queenie! It’s okay. I’m just confused,” Kagami Tsurugi said, rubbing her arm. “In Japan, we technically have two days for Valentine’s Day. On February fourteenth, girls give chocolates or presents to the boys we like. Then on March fourteenth, boys give girls presents to answer their declaration of love. Some boys give presents to girls they like even if they didn’t get anything. I’m not used to boys giving me things, period…”

“Huh, sounds like a great racketeering move for confectioners everywhere,” Chloe Bourgeois said. “Why don’t your parents do that, Buginette? Would bring in a lot more business.”

Kagami tapped her chin for a moment before she said, “I think they tried spreading it, but it didn’t really catch on. I believe South Korea and a few other Asian countries practice it too. I mean it might make business more money, but I guess it might seem inconvenient to do things on two separate days...oh no…”

“Oh no what, Ryū?” Marinette Dupain-Cheng asked, looking at her now wide-eyed friend.

The Japanese girl’s brown eyes were blown wide, and she looked  _ seconds _ away from a full-blown meltdown. Her hands were shaking as she looked at her two best friends, panic clear in her eyes. She opened her mouth wordlessly a few times before choking out, “I-I-I gave someone a gift!”

Chloe’s face scrunched up in confusion before Marinette gave her a pointed look that said,  _ ‘Think about it’. _ Chloe didn’t see what the big deal was though! She’d given plenty of— okay, so they were all to Adrien— gifts for Valentine’s Day before. It wasn’t that bad! Chloe hadn’t really ever expected Adrien to return her gift—

OH.

OH NO.

Chloe’s blue eyes widened as she slung one arm protectively over Kagami. Kagami hadn’t been expecting an answer until a  _ month _ later. Kagami didn’t do things impulsively, at least not usually. Kagami liked to plan things out. Kagami liked to be  _ prepared _ . Kagami  _ wasn’t _ prepared for this. 

“Ryū,  _ breathe _ ,” Chloe said softly. “C’mon, Tsurugi! You’re the indomitable Ice Queen! You can do anything!”

“Chloe’s right, Kagami! No matter what answer they give you, we’re here for you!” Marinette said, moving to Kagami’s free side. “It’ll be okay, I promise.”

“Buginette is right. We’ll be here for you no matter what.”

Marinette quickly moved Kagami and Chloe over to a bench so that the trio could sit down. Once they managed to get Kagami seated, Marinette snapped into problem solving mode. If she could figure out who the gift was sent to, then she’d be able to create a plan to a. Avoid that person, or b. Prepare Kagami for whatever answer was coming.

“Ryū, what did you send the person?” Marinette asked.

“...chocolate...the ones you helped me make,” Kagami said into her hands.

“Okay, well that’s not unusual for Valentine’s Day,” Chloe said. “Most people give chocolates and not always to people they like romantically. You could play it off as if you were just giving them to all your friends.”

“I left a note.”

“Sweetie, what did the note say?” Marinette asked quickly.

“It said, ‘I find you interesting and would like to get to know you better. Would you be interested in dating?’”

Marinette’s grey eyes narrowed dangerously as she looked at their blonde friend. Chloe was fighting desperately not to  _ laugh _ at the poor Japanese girl. Kagami had never been very...good at expressing her feelings. Her mother had always been very strict with her, and Kagami hadn’t had the  _ opportunity _ to express her emotions. Marinette and Chloe had been working on it with her, but it appeared there was still some work to be done.

Chloe took several deep breaths. She knew that was the best Kagami could do based off her experience, and if you asked Chloe, it fit Kagami’s personality better than any flowy words would. Kagami was a rather blunt person. It was something Chloe hated and loved about the Japanese girl. She always spoke her mind and was honest, even if it wasn’t necessarily what one wanted to hear.

Not to say she did it without a certain consciousness. Kagami didn’t want to hurt her friends, so she took care to try and soften her words towards those she loved. Kagami hadn’t gone after Adrien because she knew that, once upon a time, it would have upset Marinette. She had also given Chloe another chance after the girl had apologized. The girl put in thought and was aware of how her words and actions could hurt others even if she wasn't terribly subtle. 

The blonde rubbed her forehead for a moment before catching movement out of the corner of her eye. Her instincts kicked in as she stood up, turning her body in the direction of the threat. She spotted three boys standing across the way from them. Her eyes narrowed as she took them in, trying to assess the threat.

One boy had slightly long black hair with pale blue eyes. He looked dead tired, with bags under his eyes. He was wearing a red sweater, black pants, and had a messenger bag slung over his shoulder. He was looking at a slightly shorter red-head, who was  _ vibrating _ in excitement.

That boy’s hair was  _ floofy _ . His eyes were bright green and had a wide grin as he was holding a bag of chocolates in one hand, and a stuffed dragon in the other. He was wearing a bright red Flash tee-shirt and jeans. He had a pretty cute smile if Chloe was being honest with herself. His eyes were glancing around, clearly looking for someone. He was only grounded by the tallest of the group, having a grip on the smaller teen’s shoulder.

_ He _ was attractive. He had dark black hair and the most stunning blue eyes. He was dressed in a black Superman tee-shirt and ripped blue jeans. He was also clad in a leather jacket. The difference between him and the others was that he was  _ built _ . He had broad shoulders and was much more muscular than his two counterparts. His hair was more neatly cut, and he had an easy smile on his face.. 

“Bart, calm down,” Chloe heard the cute boy say.

“I-cannot-calm-down!” the boy said without taking a breath. “I-got-chocolate! From-a-really-cute-girl! I’m-really-surprised-she-doesn’t-talk-much-but-she’s-super-cool!”

“Bart,  _ breathe _ ,” the other boy said. “She’ll never be able to understand you if you don’t slow down. Can I ask why you got her a dragon instead of a teddy bear like a normal person along with chocolates?”

“Her friends call her Ryū!” Bart replied, slowing down. “And Ryū is a Japanese dragon! Plus, I don’t know if she likes sweets, so the stuffed animal is a good backup! I just can’t believe she gave  _ me _ chocolate! I thought she was way too cool for me.”

“Is she the girl who gave you the granola bar?” cute boy asked.

“Yeah, it was after PE, during physics! I had forgotten to bring some snacks, and she totally saved my butt from passing out. Then I helped her with one of the problems,” Bart said with a wide grin. “She’s kind of shy, but she’s also really smart. I managed to get her talking the last couple of weeks, and she’s really interesting! Her mom's a super famous fencer, and she fences too!"

"...I now see your point there, Bart. Are you sure those weren't friendship candy? Like a thank you for the physics help?"

Chloe watched the bright boy's expression dim a bit before hollering, "Oi, Dragon boy! That better be for Ryū, or you and I are going to have some  _ serious _ issues."

She could feel her friends tense up behind her, but Chloe was _ not _ about to stand by and watch this fall apart. It was  _ her _ job to protect the hive, and this kid seemed genuinely interested in Kagami. Sure, he wasn't what Chloe would have thought Kagami was interested in, but the boy was  _ already  _ singing her praises and knew he wasn't good enough for their dragon. It gave Chloe a little more faith in this one. 

The boy moved  _ fast _ , and Chloe found herself moving instinctively in front of Kagami. He had  _ barely _ managed to stop before running into Chloe, his big green eyes looking up at her with anxiety and surprise. He didn't try to move past Chloe which pleased the blonde greatly. 

Perhaps this one was smart. 

"Chloe Bourgeois, one of Ryū's best friends," Chloe said, crossing her arms. "So you're the one our Ryū decided to bless with her attention."

"Chloe! Don't be rude!" Marinette sighed, standing up. 

The petite Chinese-French girl stepped in front of Chloe and held out her hand. 

"Hi, I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng. We're the French exchange students. You have physics with Kagami?" 

The boy, Bart, brightened immediately and shook Marinette's hand. 

"Yeah! I'm Bart Allen. Is Kagami with you guys? I got her Valentine's Day gift, and I really wanted to give her my answer—"

Chloe put her hands on her hips before snapping, "What makes you think you're worthy of our dragon?"

"CHLOE! Only Kagami can decide that!" Marinette bit back. "Let her decide—"

"I don't know."

Marinette paused as the red head looked between the pair with an uncomfortable smile. 

"Honestly, I was really surprised Kagami gave  _ me _ chocolate. She's this really pretty, stoic, strong girl. I'm a jokester who just happens to be really good at science. People say I'm a lot to deal with because I move at a fast pace, but Kagami doesn't seem to have a problem with it."

He took a deep breath before saying, "I don't know what I did to be worthy of the chocolates, but I'd like to get to know Kagami better. She seems super cool."

A tense silence hung over the group before Chloe broke out laughing. 

"Alright, then! You ready, Ryū? This one looks like he's serious," the blonde chuckled. "Most guys don't have the guts to stand up to me, so I think we're good here."

Kagami stood up. Her body was still tense, and her face was uncharacteristically uncertain. It appeared being caught off guard had shaken their dragon more than she cared to admit. With a reassuring shoulder squeeze from Marinette, Kagami steeled her nerves. 

She wiped the look of anxiety off her face before stepping in front of Chloe and Marinette. The dark haired girl gave Bart a small smile before saying, "Hello, Bart."

Kagami felt her stomach flutter as she watched his expression light up upon seeing her. Bart cocked his head, reminding him of a puppy, as he greeted her. He… looked so  _ happy _ to see her. 

"Hi, Kagami! Um… do you like chocolate? I wasn't sure, so I got some milk chocolate since most people like milk chocolate. But don't worry if you don't like milk chocolate because this stuffed dragon is  _ also _ for you! Um.. you do like stuffed animals, right? I'm starting to think I should have asked beforehand, but I didn't want to leave you waiting! Because I didn't want you to think I didn't like you—"

"How in the Kwami did you find someone who rambles on as much as Marinette?" Chloe asked, side eyeing her best friend. 

"Hey, I'm not that bad!" Marinette cried, making the shorter of the two black haired boys chuckle. "Not anymore!"

"Sure, Buginette. We'll go with that."

Marinette rolled her eyes at Chloe before she gently nudged Kagami, breaking the girl out of her stupor.

"Um...I do like stuffed animals. I prefer dark chocolate, but I'll eat milk chocolate," Kagami said shyly. "You got me a dragon?"

"Yeah! Here, Kagami!" Bart said, handing her the little red dragon toy. 

Kagami took the little dragon, smiling beautifully as she felt the plush fabric. It was  _ soft _ , and Kagami was delighted by it. It looked precious! It was a chubby looking dragon with little stubby legs and wings with gold underneath. It also had a gold underbelly, spines, and horns. It had cute button eyes, and she hugged it tightly against her chest. 

Chloe watched in satisfaction as Kagami turned pink, and Bart fist bumped the air. As Bart began chatting with Kagami, the cute boy walked up to Chloe.

"Conner Kent, Bart's much more handsome friend," he said, holding out a hand. "The dude who looks like he lives off coffee is Tim Drake."

"Charmed," Chloe said, shaking his hand. "Clearly. Bart's more cute like a little puppy. You look like someone who knows what he likes."

Conner smiled devilishly as he said, "And you're a girl who knows what she's about."

"Precisely, Kent. Did Bart have any other plans for our Ms. Tsurugi?"

"I believe pizza was the idea if the Dragon Princess is up for it," Conner said. "We could crash the date. Wouldn't want the Dragon Princess to devour my friend. Would be a shame if something happened to a little cutie like that."

"Wouldn't want my Ryū in any danger, so that sounds like a fabulous idea. Would be a shame if your puppy had an accident."

Marinette let out a long sigh, rubbing the bridge of her nose. Were they  _ flirting _ with each other though flattery and thinly veiled  _ threats? _ What in Tikki's name was going on?! She crossed her arms, clearly displeased with the goings on.

Kagami was a big girl! She could handle a date, and she didn't think Kagami would be pleased if Chloe crashed the date Bart had  _ clearly  _ just asked her on. She looked so happy to have been asked out, and Marinette didn't want to ruin it for her.

"Chl-"

"Well, since Conner clearly would like to hang out with Chloe, why don't we make it a triple-date? If that would be agreeable with Miss Tsurugi and Miss Dupain-Cheng, of course," Tim suggested, shoving his hands in his pockets. 

Bart shot a surprisingly venomous look for someone who appeared so easy going. When his friends just smiled at him, he sighed in defeat. He looked at Kagami with the expression of a kicked puppy.

"If you wanna hang out when my friends  _ aren't _ being jackasses, I'd  _ completely  _ understand," he said. "They're worse than my great-uncle Jay."

"Hey! You can't keep all the pretty girls to yourself, Bart," Conner interjected. "Blondie looks like fun, and there's no rules saying I can't ask her out too! Besides, the littlest princess looks to be Tim's type— adorable with a hint of 'She could kick my ass'."

"If Buginette and Ryū are princesses, then what does that make me?" Chloe asked with a grin. 

"A goddamn  _ queen _ , baby," he responded, wrapping an arm around her. 

"Damn straight."

"Could you two stop flirting for  _ five minutes _ ? Maybe they don't  _ want _ us to tag along with them," Marinette said firmly.

"...perhaps we should go together?" Kagami suggested. "It could be fun. Then when I want to go on a solo date Chloe won't crash it."

"That could be today if you want, Ryū. Say the word, and I'll drag the lot of them off," she said, crossing her arms. 

Kagami and Bart exchanged glances before Kagami said, "So...pizza…"

"Yeah, let's go together," Bart said. "We know this great place about a block away from here."

Kagami smiled shyly, holding the dragon in one hand before offering her hand to Bart. He took it, lacing their fingers together before asking her about her fencing training. 

Chloe walked beside Conner, smiling with teeth at the bigger teen. Conner smiled back with an eerily similar grin. Both groused back and forth, their weird flirting freaking Marinette out a little bit. They followed after Kagami and Bart… both keeping an eye on their respective friend.

Marinette looked at the guy beside her. He was giving her a slightly awkward grin, nodding in their direction. 

"Should we follow? I mean, Conner is going to follow them no matter what, and it seems your blonde friend has the same idea. They do have really good pizza," he said, adjusting his backpack. "I'm Tim, by the way."

The Chinese-French girl weighed her options carefully. On the one hand, Marinette didn't want to crash Kagami's first real date. No, Marinette did _ not _ count the ice rink nor the date she set up with Adrien. Adrien hadn’t paid attention to Kagami (like she could talk, having been distracted from Luka) while at the ice rink, and the date...well it may have seemed good at the time, but it had only ended in  _ disaster _ .

Adrien had still been fawning over Ladybug, and Kagami hadn’t been treated the way she should have been.

On the other hand,  _ nothing _ was going to stop Queenie and her newfound friend from tagging along with Kagami and Bart. Chloe would continue to antagonize Bart to see if he was “worthy enough”, and Kagami and Bart would eventually grow tired of Conner and Chloe’s flirting. If she went along, she could act as a buffer, and hopefully the date would go well.

Her grey eyes scanned over the teen next to her critically.

Tim wasn’t exactly  _ hard _ on the eyes. He had silky looking black hair that was on the longer side and pale blue eyes that seemed to be observing her as much as she was observing him. He had a defined jaw and nice cheekbones. He was lean, but not malnourished or out of shape. He seemed to be made of lean muscle. His body posture was relaxed, showing that he was just along for the ride on this one.

“Okay, but only to stop Kagami from killing your friend and Chloe,” Marinette decided. “Bart seems really nice, and Kagami seems to like him a lot. It’d be a pity if the dumbass patrol ruined this.”

“Well if we join forces, I think we should be able to stop them,” Tim said with a grin.

Marinette grinned back brightly, noting the mischievous look in his eyes. 

Chloe and Conner would never know what hit them.

And it wasn’t going to be Kagami.


	15. Day 15: Gone Wrong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Suicide attempt mentioned (not explicit) but still it's there. Please be careful if this is a triggering subject.
> 
> This is Garmari.
> 
> Sorry it's late.

Adrien hadn’t meant for things to go this far.

He didn’t know things were this bad.

Why hadn’t she told him?

If he had known they were threatening to  _ hurt her _ ...if he had  _ known  _ about the text messages she’d been receiving, he would have  _ done _ something! He  _ wouldn’t  _ have let it get this far. He  _ would  _ have helped her! She was his  _ friend! _ She was the  _ only _ other person who knew Lila was lying. She was the  _ only  _ other person he could rely on to do the right thing. They  _ needed her _ .

_ He _ needed her.

The blond haired boy felt his blood run  _ cold _ as he was shown paper after paper of text messages. He read each one in abject  _ horror _ , thinking this had to be some terrible nightmare. This  _ had _ to be a mistake! His  _ friends _ couldn’t have sent those things to Marinette! They just  _ couldn’t have! _ Everyone  _ loved  _ Marinette! Sure, they were mad at her for not warming up to Lila, but they wouldn’t take it this  _ far _ … would they?

**Kill yourself.**

**We’d be better off without you.**

**You’re just a stupid whore.**

**Lila’s the only honest one in this class.**

**You’ll regret stealing from Lila.**

**Adrien will NEVER like a bitch like you.**

**You’d be better off dead.**

**One of these days, you’re going to disappear, and it’s going to look like an accident.**

Page after page of messages  _ just like those _ . Sent from his  _ friends’  _ cellphones, save a few members. Chloe Bourgeois, Nino Lahiffe, and Nathaniel Kurtzberg were the individuals from Mlle. Bustier’s class who were not under investigation.

The three were huddled up in a separate corner, far away from the rest of the class. Nathaniel had been in hysterics, screaming and crying for someone to let him know what was going on. He demanded to see Marinette, tears streaming down his face. Nino had a firm hand on his shoulder and was trying to calm him down, even though he was thoroughly shaken as well. The two boys were sitting down on the floor, and Nathaniel was still shaking from the force of his cries.

Adrien always knew Nath was  _ sensitive _ . After all, it was how he’d been turned into the Evillustrator. It had also gotten him into trouble with Marc Anciel, and that whole Reverser situation. He was a good person with a gentle soul, and he cared deeply for his friends. It made sense that now he’d be screaming to see his friend.

Nino in comparison had always been hard to rattle. The boy was so naturally positive and upbeat. He was also a compassionate individual who always looked out for others. Nino had a strong sense of right and wrong, and he always stood up for what was right. Even when it cost him  _ everything. _

Adrien had begun to notice a few months in that Nino wasn’t... _ comfortable _ around Lila. He had hung around her for Alya’s sake, since the two girls seemed to click, but he never looked  _ happy. _ Then strange things had begun happening. Alya would yell at Nino for going out without her, and Nino would look at her in shock, telling her he was  _ exactly  _ where he said he was going to be. Alya would get clingy and glare at any other girls who  _ looked _ at Nino out in public. Alya had even started to tell Nino he couldn’t talk to  _ Marinette _ anymore.

That was the final straw.

Nino had  _ broken _ up with Alya.

Even though he had spent the next three hours crying about it, Nino had told Alya that he couldn’t date someone who didn’t  _ trust _ him. She  _ knew _ that Marinette was just a friend, and that Nino would  _ never _ cheat on her. Yet, Alya had  _ blindly _ trusted Lila, a girl who  _ barely _ knew them about what to do in  _ their _ relationship!

Nino hadn’t been the same since. He’d stuck  _ closer _ to Marinette and Nath, who were seen hanging out more often than not together. Marc was usually with them as was Kagami and Luka. The four had become Marinette’s closest friends, and they spent a lot of time together outside of class hours. Nino had been determined to stay Marinette’s friend, despite  _ everything _ , and Adrien wished he  _ had _ that kind of luxury.

His solid, put-together buddy looked more terrified than Adrien had ever witnessed. He was focusing his energy on Nath, trying to keep the crying boy together while the police spoke with Mlle. Bustier. His face was ashen with fright, and it looked like he was fighting to hold himself together.

Chloe was the one that was  _ most _ concerning to Adrien.

The blonde hadn’t moved from her spot, sitting next to a paramedic. She had one of those horrific orange shock blankets draped over her shoulders. She had something clenched tight in her left fist while her phone was in her other hand. Chloe hadn’t put down her phone, texting someone furiously. Her blue eyes were glassy as she stared down at the screen. There was no screaming. There were no demands made. There was  _ nothing. _ Chloe was just sitting there,  _ silent _ .

The paramedics had said she was in  _ shock _ .

And who wouldn’t be after they found their roommate bleeding out in their bathtub?

Adrien still couldn’t believe it.

Marinette  _ couldn’t  _ have done this. Marinette was sweet. Marinette was forgiving. Marinette was strong. Marinette was positive. Marinette was  _ unbreakable _ .

She couldn’t have attempted suicide.

Adrien felt his heart being torn in  _ two _ . Had Marinette really been suffering this  _ entire time _ ? Had Marinette been hiding all of this  _ hurt _ ? Why hadn’t she reached out to him? He told her that she could rely on him! He told her that she could depend on Adrien for support! Why didn’t she  _ come to him? _

Suddenly the hotel doors burst open and a frantic blur of green raced past all of them towards Chloe. Adrien was shocked to see the _ Beast Boy _ , standing in front of Chloe.

“Where is she?!” he asked, grabbing Chloe’s shoulders. “Where is Marinette?!”

“...they took her to the hospital. The ambulance just left,” Nino answered, pulling Nath to his feet. “We aren’t family so we weren’t allowed to go with her. We were waiting for you.”

Chloe didn’t blink, even as the hero’s fingers dug into her shoulders. A dark skinned young man with blonde hair walked in shortly after Beast Boy, and he made a beeline for the pair. He put a firm hand on Beast Boy’s shoulder before telling him to let go of Chloe’s shoulders.

As soon as she heard his voice, Chloe’s eyes snapped up.

“Kal…”

“Chickadee—”

“I didn’t know.”

“Chickadee—”

“She was smiling when she went to take a shower.”

“Chickadee—”

“She told me we were going to watch movies when she came out.”

“Chickadee—”

“She didn’t come back out, Kal.”

“Chickadee, plea—”

“Why didn’t she come back out, Kal?”

The teen pulled Chloe up into a tight hug before rocking her back and forth slowly.

“Chickadee, it wasn’t your fault,” he whispered, tucking her head under his chin. “We didn’t know. We didn’t know how deeply she was hurting.”

Adrien took a few steps towards Chloe, only to have a pair of hands slam firmly into his chest. He stumbled back as he felt a hand strike his chest. Adrien’s green eyes widened as he saw  _ Nathaniel _ , those bright turquoise eyes radiating pure  _ fury. _ He was startled, having never seen the artist look so  _ angry _ before. The last time he’d been this angry, Nathaniel had been transformed into the Evillustator. Now, in the city of New York, Nathaniel was  _ free _ to feel his rage without fear.

“THIS IS  _ YOUR  _ FAULT!” he screamed. “THIS IS ALL  _ YOUR  _ FAULT,  _ AGRESTE!  _ If you’d just backed up Marinette, if you weren’t such a FUCKING  _ COWARD, _ this  _ wouldn’t _ have happened! The rest of the class would have known Lila’s a  _ lying psychopath _ , and they wouldn’t have  _ believed _ her! None of this  _ would have happened!” _

“Nathaniel...I didn’t know—”

“What? That Marinette was getting  _ death threats _ texted to her? That people were telling Marinette to  _ kill herself? _ That Marinette has been called  _ every goddamn NAME _ in the book because everyone is convinced  _ SHE’S _ the liar?!  _ FUCK YOU, AGRESTE!” _

“Nathaniel, I swear if I’d known about this—”

“ _ You _ would have  _ done something? _ Oh  _ please _ ! You can’t even  _ breathe _ without Daddy-Dearest’s approval. Whatever your dad  _ wants, _ you  _ do _ . You never  _ think  _ for yourself, and it’s goddamn  _ pathetic! _ ”

“You never said anything—”

“Once again,  _ think _ , Agreste. I’m sorry, but  _ Daddy _ isn’t here to do it for  _ you _ , so you’ll have to do it. If they didn’t believe  _ Marinette _ , class sweetheart and our everyday Ladybug, what chance did  _ I _ have? Lila was  _ lying _ about  _ you _ .  _ You _ could have told the class the  _ truth _ !  _ You _ could have disobeyed your dad and been  _ honest. _ Everyone would have  _ believed  _ you if you’d said Lila was  _ lying.” _

“It wasn’t hurting—”

“Wasn’t  _ hurting _ anyone?! Tell that to  _ Marinette _ , who is currently  _ dying  _ in the back of an _ AMBULANCE!” _

Nathaniel had been yanked away by a trembling Nino, who was doing his best not to cry. The red-head’s face was flushed, tears sliding down his cheeks as he heaved in air. His posture began to crumble before he took in one rattling breath. He looked up again at Adrien before growling, “You’re fucking  _ lucky _ we’re not in Paris right now. I would have  _ destroyed you _ for this.”

Adrien backed away from them, terrified of the normally shy and quiet artist in front of him. Nathaniel gave a few broken laughs before saying the words that struck Adrien the deepest.

“I can’t fucking  _ believe _ Marinette  _ ever _ loved you. You’re not  _ worthy _ of her good heart.”

Nino looked at  _ Aqualad _ , who was still holding Chloe as she  _ cried _ . The two teens looked at Beast Boy, who was just  _ barely _ holding back his own rage, and Nathaniel, who was so angry he was  _ shaking. _ Aqualad nodded to Nino, and he put a hand on both the superhero’s shoulder and Nath’s.

“We aren’t doing anything here,” he said, his voice shaking. “Let’s go to the hospital. I need to call Mari’s parents and let them know. Kal, do you—?”

“I’ve got Chloe. I think I’m going to take her back to the tower before going to the hospital. I think Chloe needs to rest.”

Nino nodded before looking at Beast Boy and Nathaniel.

“Imma need back up, my dudes. I-I-I can’t do this alone.”

Beast Boy nodded, slinging an arm around Nathaniel in solidarity.

“Nino’s right. Let’s go, see our girl,” he said, glaring at Adrien. “The police will deal with them.”

The trio left the hotel together, holding onto one another tightly for support without another glance at Adrien.

Chloe was still crying into the other heroes chest, a bag on her shoulder and something  _ still gripped _ tightly in her left fist. The Atlantean rubbed her back slowly, waiting for her sobs to subside into hiccups. As soon as he was able too, Aqualad had gently guided Chloe out of the hotel. As soon as the pair left, Adrien found himself being  _ swarmed. _

The number one question being,  _ “Was Nathaniel telling the truth?” _

A question that Adrien had no answer to.

He never planned on answering that question.

After all, Adrien had never meant it to go this  _ wrong. _

————————

The last place Garfield Logan expected to be was at the hospital  _ waiting  _ for  _ news _ on the  _ light of his life _ .

Meeting Marinette Dupain-Cheng had been an accident, but not one that Garfield would  _ ever _ regret.

He and Kaldur had been hanging out with some of the other Titans when he’d run into an absolute  _ cutie _ . She had the prettiest grey eyes he’d ever seen on a heart shaped face with a cute button nose. Freckles were lightly splashed across the bridge of her nose. She was wearing red tinted lip gloss, and her hair had been loose, falling around her face.

She’d been sitting with her blonde friend when a few guys had approached them. Her blonde friend, now known as Chloe Bourgeois, had snapped on them, telling them to leave. The guys hadn’t taken the hint and started getting in Chloe’s face. Marinette had looked  _ extremely  _ tense and uncomfortable, so Gar had immediately stepped in.

“Hey, cutiepie! I’m really sorry I’m late! Kal takes  _ forever _ to get ready!” he’d said, dragging Kaldur towards the two girls.

As soon as the guys had spotted  _ them _ , they had immediately turned tail. No guy wanted to get into a fight with a  _ Titan _ , even over a cute girl. Gar had apologized for acting familiar towards Marinette, explaining that she’d looked scared.

“I just wanted to help,” he had told her, head down. “Those guys coulda tried to hurt you, and I’d figured they’d back off if we pretended like we knew each other. Even if they didn’t, Kal and I can handle ourselves in a fight.”

To which Aqualad had responded that he’d like for Gar to  _ inform him  _ of the plan next time. He had blushed brightly at the scolding, feeling embarrassed and uncomfortable. That was, until he had heard the sweetest sound Gar swore he’d  _ ever _ hear.

Her laughter had been soft, almost hesitant in nature. It had sounded so sweet, yet raspy, as if she hadn’t laughed in some time. In that moment, Gar decided he wanted to do  _ whatever _ it took to keep  _ hearing  _ that laughter. He had told Marinette that she had the cutest laugh he’d ever heard. He had watched her face turn a delightful shade of pink, and he’d smiled brightly at her.

The day had ended with him getting one Mademoiselle Marinette Dupain-Cheng’s phone number. Kaldur had gotten her friend’s number as the pair had bonded over watching Gar and Marinette interact. Kaldur had shared his stories of watching after Gar while Chloe had shared her stories of having to talk down Marinette from a spiral.

While Kaldur had texted Chloe here and there, both taking it slow, Gar had taken  _ every _ opportunity to text Marinette. He had come to enjoy talking to the kind, passionate, and creative individual that he had discovered Marinette was. She had told him about her family, and in return, Gar had told her about his friends. The pair had begun to send memes to each other as well as different cute animal videos.

Gar had even created a few  _ for _ Marinette when she mentioned she was feeling particularly sad. It had been only two weeks since he’d first met Marinette, but he’d already become  _ extremely _ fond of her. She was a delight to speak with, and Gar felt sad knowing that she was going to be leaving in less than a week.

Apparently the thought of going home had stressed Marinette out as well.

Gar knew about the bullying...from Kaldur. Chloe had shared what was going on with the class, explaining why she was so overprotective of Marinette. Kaldur had in turn shared this information with Gar, though he had  _ not _ brought it up with Marinette. The only thing he’d done with the information was to ask Marinette more probing questions to see if she was  _ actually _ doing okay.

Apparently, he hadn’t done his job  _ well enough _ .

Because Chloe had found Marinette bleeding out in their hotel room tub.

Marinette had felt  _ hopeless _ enough.... _ desperate _ enough…. _ unloved _ enough to attempt to take her own life.

Gar was  _ horrified _ to think that there was something going on  _ that was so terrible _ that you’d rather  _ die _ than go home. He was  _ angry _ about the fact that no one had  _ stopped  _ this. He was  _ furious _ that these people who had once called Marinette their  _ friend _ .

As far as the meta human was concerned, Marinette only had three friends with her. Nathaniel had  _ torn _ into that Agreste guy in a way that made Gar  _ proud of him _ . Nino had kept it together until all the work was done, and then he sobbed hysterically over the fact his childhood friend wanted to  _ die, _ and he didn’t  _ know _ . And Chloe...poor, poor Chloe…

Chloe had found Marinette. Chloe had called the emergency number. Chloe had stemmed the bleeding until help had arrived. Chloe was the one who had to witness everything up close and personal. 

Kaldur had texted him several hours ago, asking for updates on Marinette. Chloe had apparently cried herself to sleep, and he didn't want to wake her up unless they could see Marinette. He also informed Gar that Kor'i and Dick were on their way to see if they could help with anything when they got close to the twenty-four hour mark. 

That comforted him a little bit. Nathaniel was still a shaking mess, but now the tremors were caused by fear and anxiety. Dick was great at soothing others, so he could easily handle Nathaniel. Kor'i would provide Nino his own rock to cling to while he tried to figure things out. Kor'i didn't always understand, but she was supportive and a good shoulder to lean against when things were difficult. 

He had waited quietly for the pair to appear before scampering off. Nino and Nathaniel would be fine. They would be  _ fine _ . Dick and Kor'i would look after them until things were sorted out. The two senior heroes would keep them safe, and Gar could focus on his current mission. 

Finding Marinette's room. 

He transformed into a tiny ladybug and flew off, ignoring Kor'i's inquiries about his whereabouts. 

Garfield  _ had _ to find Marinette.

He had  _ just met _ her. 

He didn't want to lose another friend…

Another crush. 

Not like Terra.

——————

He found her in a recovery room near the ICU.

He could hear the nurses talking about 'that poor little French girl' and how 'she's so sweet, it's  _ heartbreaking _ '. Apparently, she'd been awake for at least an hour, and she'd be nothing but sweet to the nurses. Marinette had been  _ apologizing _ to them for taking up their time and being a  _ nuisance _ .

"What I want to know," one nurse growled, "is who  _ hurt _ that sweet little girl? Normally folks are  _ angry _ at us for saving them. They swear. They cuss. You don't pay them any mind because you know they're just afraid of what surviving means. They're afraid of their own _ hollowness." _

The nurse rubbed her head before continuing. 

"She's not  _ angry _ . She's not  _ anything _ but  _ sorry _ as far as I can tell. She's sorry she  _ hurt _ her friends. She's sorry she has  _ inconvenienced _ us as if this wasn't  _ our job _ . Who broke that kid so badly that she's  _ apologizing _ for attempting suicide after what the police told us was a  _ severe _ case of bullying? The kid reached her limit. She's the one  _ hurting _ here. The people who  _ should  _ be sorry are the people who left that sweet little girl to  _ drown _ ."

"Ah, did you do the last check up on her?" another nurse said quietly. "You're not the only one to feel like that after meeting her. It's so  _ sad _ . I hope they get her the help she needs."

Gar fluttered into her room, feeling his heart  _ shatter _ .

She looked so  _ tiny _ in that bed. There were numerous wires hooked up to her. White gauze was wrapped tightly around her wrists. Marinette was staring at her hands, grey eyes wide and unfocused. She opened and closed her hands, staring at the crescent shape marks she’s dug into her palms.

The nurses were right.

She just looked so  _ sad _ .

Gar was considering his next move when a soft voice came from close to where he’d perched.

“Odd...ladybugs aren’t  _ green _ ...but I know of one that could  _ be _ . You came to see  _ her _ , didn’t you?”

Beast Boy turned to see a young nurse looking at him with a soft expression.

“I have to monitor her condition, but I can let you have a few minutes...I can’t guarantee anymore than that though...the doctors will be mad that I’m taking a risk...but I think she needs to see someone familiar,” she said softly.

The brunette then turned to look at Marinette before calling her name gently. Beast Boy watched as Marinette continued to stare glassily at her hands, not reacting to the nurse’s voice. She took a deep breath before telling her she had someone who wanted to see her. That seemed to get Marinette’s attention as her eyes slid up, dazed and confused.

The nurse gently held her finger out for Beast Boy to land on. Once he was perched, she slowly walked over to Marinette. She showed the girl the little green insect on her finger and watched as tears began to well up in her eyes.

“He can either talk to you now, or wait here with you until you’re ready,” the nurse whispered.

“I’m  _ sorry _ . I wasn’t...I can’t...I-I-I’m  _ tired. _ I’m  _ tired  _ of being relied on for  _ everything! _ I’m  _ tired _ of being  _ sorry. _ I’m  _ sorry _ . I’m  _ sorry _ !

Garfield transformed into his human shape, hugging Marinette tightly. He held her close as he whispered, “It’s okay. You’re okay. It’s okay. I’m here. I’ve got you.”

And for once in a long time, Marinette discovered that she  _ believed _ him.


	16. Day 16: Hurt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim is going to save Damian...no matter what.
> 
> This drabble ties in with Day 13-Pet names.
> 
> The following warnings apply:  
> Mentions of pedophilia  
> Hinted rape/non-consensual sex  
> Mentions of domestic abuse

It took every ounce of concentration he had to focus on the small source of warmth in his arms.

Everything he was doing was for  _ him _ .

He  _ had  _ to save him.

He just  _ had _ to.

He could feel his muscles burning in agony as he continued to run, feeling his pulse pounding in his chest. He was almost certain he had a concussion. The stabbing agony in his arm made him think that it was probably broken at best. He could feel his legs  _ trembling _ as he struggled to remain upright. His entire body was  _ screaming  _ at him to rest, but he couldn’t stop. He  _ couldn’t  _ stop. He  _ couldn’t _ give a shit about himself, but the little being in his arms  _ had _ to survive. 

The baby  _ had _ to survive.

He cradled the infant in his arms close to his chest. The little boy didn’t cry, but was eerily silent as he slept quietly. He was amazed that the little boy wasn’t screaming or crying. Bullets whizzed past his body as well as several throwing stars and other weaponry. He could tell they were aiming to wound, so at least he had that on his side.

After all, anyone who killed  _ Ra’s al Guhl’s _ grandson or his pet detective would pay  _ dearly _ for their incompetence.

“Timothy, if you come back  _ now _ I might forgive you for your insolence. Bring my grandson back, and we can discuss this,” a calm, collected voice commanded. “What is waiting for you back there?”

Timothy Jackson Drake did  _ not _ stop. The preteen barely paused to  _ breathe _ as he darted through the jungle,gasping for air against the sticky humidity. He could feel the sweat pouring down his body, stinging painfully when it hit the open wounds on his body. He could hear the sounds of footsteps, ballistics, and the faint beeping of his tracker as he tried to locate some cover.

“They don’t love you, Timothy. Only  _ I _ can provide you with that.”

Lies.

“After all, you were the second Robin’s  _ replacement _ . Batman accepted you because he needed a  _ weak _ child he could take advantage of. He took advantage of Nightwing’s trauma to train him. ‘Train with me, and I’ll help you catch your parents’ killer’ was his line, and the child  _ bought into it _ . Eventually, the Night spread his wings and flew away from the Bat.

Then came Flamebird. The little  _ street urchin _ with no real  _ value _ . Batman took him in because he was  _ expendable _ . No one would ever notice if he disappeared...and he could be easily manipulated by the promise of food and shelter. The Batman takes in such  _ pretty _ little birds...tell me, do you think Flamebird gave him another  _ reason _ to keep him around?”

Tim felt the bile  _ rise _ in his throat as he struggled to block out the voice that echoed around the jungle. Bruce had  _ never _ touched them like that. He’d never even  _ hinted _ at being so sick and demented like  _ that _ ...unlike a certain  _ Master Assassin _ currently chasing him. 

“The Peacock  _ certainly _ has no love for you. How could she? She chased after  _ Flamebird _ instead of  _ you _ . She didn’t  _ catch _ you, little bird. Didn’t she  _ promise _ ?”

Of  _ course _ Emilie had saved Jason first! When the explosion went off, Jason had been  _ three feet _ away from her! Tim had been  _ two yards _ away in comparison! That’s why  _ Dick _ had grabbed Tim instead of Emilie because his brother had been  _ next _ to him! Tim mentally chuckled at that. Couldn’t the  _ all-mighty God _ Ra’s al Guhl think of a better  _ reason  _ for Tim to hate Emilie?

“I’d give you  _ everything _ your heart desires, little detective. I have the  _ power _ to keep us safe and sound...to  _ protect _ your family if you  _ desired _ . All I’d ask in return is that you give me what I  _ desire _ . I would treat you gently, Timothy. I would make you feel _good_.”

Tim knew Ra’s would clip his wings in a  _ heartbeat _ . 

The assassin would have him  _ chained _ and dressed up prettily. He would  _ torment _ Tim, asking him for things the boy didn’t  _ want _ to think about. Tim would  _ never _ be free. Worst of all, his family’s  _ safety _ would then become  _ conditional _ . Ra’s would  _ hold _ them against Tim, forcing the boy to do whatever the man wanted.

What would happen to little  _ Damian  _ if Tim were to surrender?

Most likely, the boy would be raised with the League’s ideals. He would be taught to kill before he learned his alphabet. He would be raised without  _ any _ feeling of safety for an assassin was  _ never _ safe. He would grow up knowing his  _ worth _ was the only thing keeping him _ alive.  _ He would learn that his loyalty must be to Ra’s or else he faced  _ death.  _ The little boy would grow up  _ alone, isolated,  _ and  _ afraid _ . 

Tim  _ couldn’t _ let Damian grow up like he did.

Tim  _ couldn’t  _ let Damian grow up with a family who’s love seemed  _ conditional _ . He couldn’t allow this little baby to feel as  _ worthless _ as he did. He couldn’t let Damian feel  _ abandoned _ or  _ lonely _ .

So, he ran.

He ran until his legs  _ gave out. _

———————————

Jason felt cold.

He hadn’t felt this tense and upset since he’d  _ nearly _ died.

Replacement... _ Tim _ had up and vanished.

Last Jason knew, Tim had been working with Dick on a drug bust. Dick had reported the mission a success, and the pair had returned to the cave. Jason had good-naturedly teased his brothers, welcoming back ‘the OG and the Replacement’. Dick had scolded him for it, but the tiny smile Tim gave him had reassured Jason that the boy hadn’t taken it seriously.

Or at least, Jason had  _ thought _ Tim hadn’t taken it seriously.

The next morning, Jason had woken up to Bruce demanding to know what had happened the night before. Jason, confused, told Bruce that Tim had just finished a mission with Dick. Bruce had then told him that Tim had  _ stolen _ the batjet and  _ disappeared _ . He said that Dick didn’t have any information on where Tim could have gone, and he asked if Jason had heard anything from Tim.

Jason shook his head, stunned and  _ bewildered _ .

_ Tim _ had stolen the batjet?!  _ Timothy Jackson Drake _ had  _ stolen _ the  _ batjet _ ? How was that even  _ possible?! _ Tim hadn’t so much as insulted the cashier who messed up his milkshake order, and he’d  _ stolen _ from  _ Bruce? _ Tim didn’t do  _ anything _ without Bruce’s go-ahead! The kid was  _ twelve _ , and he still had some hero worship towards Bruce! Tim didn’t  _ know _ any better. Sure, he’d disobeyed  _ before _ but never like  _ this. _

_ Jason _ had gone off plenty of times without Bruce’s knowledge. That’s how he almost  _ died _ . Even now, he often went rogue when he disagreed with Bruce’s assessment of something. They had repaired their relationship a little bit, but things were still a bit strained.

Jason  _ immediately _ stormed into Tim’s room and began looking through his files.

While Bruce and Dick had their misgivings about touching Tim’s things, Jason  _ did not _ . Jason used to go into Tim’s room  _ all the time _ just to piss the boy off. At first it  _ had  _ been malicious. Jason would steal things from Tim or move them  _ just _ so to piss the other child off. Eventually, it had moved more towards playful annoyance, once he’d realized that Tim wasn’t going to  _ retaliate _ .

The boys had developed a strange coexistence while Jason tried to sort out his feelings towards everything. Tim had been  _ endlessly _ patient with him, and it didn’t help that Jason had discovered how much Tim had  _ looked up _ to him. Jason was  _ still _ confused about his feelings towards the younger boy, though he admitted that he was more  _ fond _ of Tim now than before.

When Jason had woken from his coma, he’d been greeted by a boy a few years younger than himself. The little boy had fluffy black hair and wide grey-blue eyes. The kid had seemed anxious, but the second he realized that Jason was awake, his eyes welled up with tears. His squeaky little voice had gasped, “You’re awake! Oh thank goodness! You’ve been asleep for awhile.”

Jason had glared at the little boy before asking, “Who the  _ fuck _ are you, and what do you mean by awhile?”

“My-my name’s Tim! Tim Drake! And I mean awhile...a few months to be exact—”

“ _ Little Wing _ ! You’re  _ awake _ !” a broken voice had sobbed from his left.

Jason had turned his head to see a  _ haggered _ Dick Grayson. It had looked like his older brother hadn’t  _ slept _ in  _ weeks _ . His hair had been spiked in different directions and looked  _ greasy _ . He had near-black bags  _ under _ his eyes. He had looked  _ thin _ as if he hadn’t been eating.

He had also looked so  _ relieved. _

“Dickie, who’s the brat?” Jason had croaked.

“This is Tim...he’s...well he’s our new little brother,” Dick had informed him slowly. “He—”

“What the  _ fuck?!” _

Jason had gone  _ off _ on them that day. He’d screamed and cussed both Dick and Bruce out for  _ replacing  _ him. He’d been in a coma for  _ three months _ , and Bruce had already  _ found a new Robin?! _ He had screamed to the point little Tim had  _ bolted _ out of the room. A small part of him— the part that still lived in Crime Alley— felt  _ terrible _ for scaring the kid. As mad as he was, there was a small,  _ rational _ part of Jason that knew it wasn’t the  _ kid’s _ fault.

It still took Jason  _ months _ to reconcile that, however. He had called Tim the  _ Replacement _ every time the child was in earshot. He was still so  _ angry _ and  _ hurt _ that he’d decided to take it out on the little boy that Bruce had picked up. Dick had been sore with him for  _ weeks _ . Bruce had  _ yelled _ .

Emilie had sighed a long sigh of  _ suffering _ before talking to Jason. The woman had asked him what was going on, and Jason had  _ caved _ . He told Emilie about his fears of being replaced, and his feelings of worthlessness because why would  _ Bruce _ want him when  _ his own mother _ didn't? All the  _ ugly _ feelings of terror and fear came spilling out in  _ waves _ , and Emilie had helped him stay afloat.

After some counseling and support, Jason was able to face Tim without the hostility. The younger boy had apparently been talking to Emilie as well. Tim had tried working through things with Jason, and things seemed to be getting better. Jason still felt  _ guilty _ about it. He should have  _ never _ taken his anger and fear out on Tim

Jason had begun using replacement affectionately in reference to Tim, and Tim had  _ just _ started letting Jason into his world. Not to mention he was the closest thing to Emilie that Jason had now. The Parisian woman hadn’t contacted them in almost a  _ year _ . It had hurt Jason, to think that Emilie would turn her back on them, so he’d  _ clung _ to Tim harder.

What was he going to do is Ra’s al Guhl had killed Tim?

Or worse?

He knew the crazy fucker had some weird fetish-crush on Tim. The older man had become obsessed with Tim after Bruce had continued to turn him down time and time again. Tim was essentially like a mini-Bruce. He was just as smart— maybe even smarter— as Bruce. He was a crafty tactician who was good with gadgets. The young boy was just as determined as Bruce had had an equally strong will.

If Ra’s got his hands on Tim… Jason shuddered to think of what that pervert would do to the poor kid. Either Tim would die or Ra’s might try to  _ molest _ him, and  _ neither  _ situation made Jason happy.

As soon as the borrowed javelin landed, Jason took off with Dick at his heels. Both teens had Tim’s tracking beacon up, and they weren’t going to wait any longer. Their little brother was  _ in danger _ .

Nothing was going to  _ stop them. _

—————

Dick was barely  _ breathing _ as Diana bandaged him up.

They had found Tim.

But something wasn’t  _ right. _

The boy’s cape was torn, balled up in front of him, his arms wrapped tightly around it. Despite acknowledging Jason, Tim wouldn’t let  _ anyone _ get close to him. Jason was the only one who could get  _ relatively  _ close, but Tim would start  _ screaming _ the second Jason tried to take the remains of his cape.

He was  _ trembling _ in the corner, holding onto his cape like it was  _ salvation _ . His uniform had been torn up badly as well, his left pant leg  _ barely _ there. There were several large gashes across his legs, mostly near his shins. His left arm was discolored and swollen, most likely broken. He had a black eye and a large gash that was still bleeding right along the right side of his jaw.

He was so  _ hurt _ , yet he refused to let anyone treat him.

Dick watched as Jason tried to convince Tim to let him close.

“Replacement! C’mon, it’s gonna be okay. Jus’ let me see you,” Jason said, holding out his hand to Tim.

Tim’s blue-grey eyes looked at Jason, almost frantic. Dick watched as his little brother slowly began to let his guard down. The young boy looked like he was going to pass out the longer Jason spoke to him. Dick figured that the adrenaline must have been wearing off, and Tim was finally giving into his exhaustion.

“There we go, c’mon, Timbits,” Jason murmured. “Can I take your cape? Is that okay, Timmers?”

“Jay, no. Don’t take  _ him  _ from me.”

Jason looked at Dick with a confused expression before looking back at him.

“Who’s  _ he _ , Timmy?” Jason asked quietly.

“Damian, Jason. Don’t take Damian from me. I-I gotta protect him, Jase…” Tim slurred, looking down at the bundle in his arms. 

Tim adjusted his grip, slowly showing Jason what was in his cape.

Everyone froze as they spotted a  _ baby _ in Tim’s arms. The little baby had tanned skin and a full head of black hair. His little face looked a lot like...like  _ Bruce _ . The baby was fast asleep in Tim’s arms, clad in a onsie. The little one seemed to be completely at east in Tim’s arms, and Tim was  _ intent _ on keeping him close.

“T-T-Timmy, where—”

“He’s Bruce’s.”

Dick saw Bruce tense up, and watched Clark give him a confused glance. No one, except Jason, dared to speak. They were afraid that if they did, Tim would clam up again.

“Tim, can you explain?”

“...Talia drugged Bruce. Wanted the perfect baby. Damian was the result. I couldn’t...I couldn’t...leave him there. They’d just hurt him.”

“Okay, Tim...can I take Damian? You’re pretty beat up,” Jason asked. “We gotta take care of you.”

Tim was still shaking, but gently deposited the baby into Jason’s arms.

“Can Dickie treat your wounds, Timmy?” he continued, gently cradling the small baby against his chest. “Or do you want Bruce? Clark and Diana can fly the javelin while we take care of you and ‘lil D.”

“...Clark...Diana?”

“Yeah, since you stole the Batjet, we had to borrow from the Justice League. When Diana and Clark heard you were in trouble, they came to help. We’re going to head back to the Watchtower”

“No...we need to go get Maman now.”

“Timmy, what are you—”

“Gabriel’s been abusing Maman, and I have a feeling it started  _ before _ they were officially dating. I hacked into his mansion’s security systems. He’s been hitting her and keeping her locked up. He’s threatening to kill her baby if she tries to leave. She’s pregnant...Gabriel forced her. We need to save Maman. I was going to do it  _ myself  _ since you all thought she abandoned us.”

A horrified silence fell over everyone as they took in that information.

Emilie...Emilie had been  _ abused? _ She’s been  _ stolen  _ and  _ abused _ without them  _ realizing it _ ?!

Thinking back, Dick realized with horror that Emilie hadn’t turned her back on him when he had wanted to become Nightwing against Bruce’s wishes. Emilie had  _ never _ turned her back on Dick. She was a  _ constant _ source of support...up until  _ Gabriel Agreste _ came into her life.

How could Dick have ever  _ doubted  _ her?

“Why didn’t you  _ tell us?! _ ” Jason snapped, looking at the younger with hurt. “Why didn’t you let us come  _ with you _ ?! You could have  _ died _ . We could have  _ lost _ Damian without even  _ knowing _ he existed! And we  _ could _ have sent someone to rescue Maman if you’d  _ told  _ us!”

“No...Ra’s wouldn’t kill me. He wanted to have me be his little pet/fucktoy, whatever you want to call it. He wouldn’t kill me or the baby. That’s why I went by myself. He would have killed you or Dick if I’d brought you along. I had to keep you safe. Besides...I know you felt like Emilie betrayed you. I wasn’t sure if you’d believe me, Jason.”

Dick’s voice got caught in his throat.

Tim...Tim ran away to  _ protect _ them?

Tim went off on an  _ extremely _ dangerous mission, without requesting his brother’s back up, because he wanted to keep  _ them _ safe? Tim wanted to protect  _ him  _ and  _ Jason _ from Ra’s? Tim was willing to risk Ra’s doing something  _ horrible _ to him to save  _ their _ little brother and keep the  _ older _ brothers out of harm’s way?

Dick felt his throat close up as tears started brimming in his eyes.

“Baby bird...don’t you  _ ever _ do something this reckless  _ again _ ,” he found himself  _ growling _ . “We’re  _ your _ big brothers.  _ We _ are supposed to protect  _ you _ . We’ll  _ always  _ have your back, baby bird. No matter  _ what _ the risks are, we’ll  _ always _ be there.”

“And we’ll  _ always _ believe you,” Jason added quietly. “Now tell us about Maman. We’ll rescue her while you recover.  _ Trust _ us.”

Dick watched as Tim swallowed before saying, “It all started about the time I was adopted…”


	17. Day 17: Grave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a direct follow-up from Day 3: Mission.
> 
> I'd like to lovingly title this, the Bad Ending. Shout out to [ Ethel ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EthelPhantom/pseuds/EthelPhantom) for helping me plot out which prompt I was going to use for the continuation, and for some of the outline!
> 
> Warning: Character Death

All he could feel was  _ pain _ .

His ribs were on  _ fire _ , and he was positive they were broken. These weren’t the hairline fractures he got occasionally when he was out with Bruce. No, these were  _ shattered _ ribs that tore  _ holes  _ into  _ lungs _ . He could barely breathe without being in absolute  _ agony _ . He couldn’t stop coughing, despite the fact that every cough was like another  _ blow _ of the crowbar. 

His vision was blurry, barely able to make out the shape of the monster beating him. He could see flashes of green, white, and that terrible purple. He couldn’t see  _ his _ mother anymore. He had no idea if she was in the warehouse or not. He wasn’t sure if he particularly  _ cared _ at this point. Despite the throbbing in his head, he knew one thing— his mother had betrayed him.

He had felt  _ so happy _ to have found her  _ alive _ .

Sheila Haywood...birth mother of one Jason Peter Todd.

Jason had managed to track her down to Ethiopia, where she was working in a refugee camp. He had  _ hugged _ that woman. He had  _ cried _ , happy to have found what little was left of his family...and she had  _ betrayed him _ . The mother he’d fought so hard to find had  _ turned him over _ to the  _ Joker _ without a second thought. 

And now Jason was going to  _ die. _

He felt the cold steel hit his body once again, causing him to curl in on himself. Jason was definitely certain one of his arms was broken now. He could hear the maniacal laughter above his head as the crowbar came down on his prone body again and again. He could hear the Joker  _ taunting him _ asking which swing hurt more. 

When he felt a hand grab his chin, Jason spit up blood in the direction of green, wanting to get back at the man at least once before he was killed. He braced himself for the next blow...but it never came.

“Step _ away _ from the boy, and I  _ might _ just reconsider ending your existence.”

Who was that?

It...it sounded familiar to Jason.

“Well, well, well! Lambchop, you didn’t  _ tell me _ this was going to be a party! Now, who might you be,  _ pretty bird _ ?” 

Pretty bird?

Nightwing?

No, it couldn’t have been Nightwing. The Joker had his own nicknames for Nightwing, like blue bird or former boy blunder. But if the Joker  _ wasn’t _ talking to Nightwing, then who could he be talking too? Bruce was the Batman, so Joker wouldn’t call  _ him _ a pretty bird. Who was the pretty bird?

Or had the Joker hit him one too many times, and he was hallucinating?

“You can call me Paonne. Now hand over the boy.”

Paonne? The peacock heroine? The one Bruce was always chasing after? The mysterious woman who came and vanished faster than Bruce himself? The woman who looked after him during patrols? Why would she be here? Why would she have come at all? They weren’t even certain that Paonne  _ resided  _ in Gotham, but at the very least Paonne was native to Europe, based on her accent.

“Don’t tell me the Batman _ isn’t coming _ ! I  _ took  _ his little birdie! He  _ needs  _ his little Robin! Did he send you as a  _ replacement _ ?! ”

Jason could hear a low growl echo through the warehouse as the person responded. He heard the Joker let out a large gasp before saying,“Oho, so the pretty birdie plays  _ rough  _ ! I’m going to  _ enjoy  _ this!”

“You’re not going to enjoy  _ shit _ !” a familiar voice bellowed.

Jason continued to struggle on just  _ where  _ he’d heard that voice before. It wasn’t just familiar from the few times he’d run into Paonne as Robin. It was different… more  _ personal _ . He knew her from  _ somewhere _ . He knew her  _ personally _ . He had to know her outside of the mask, but for the life of him, he just  _ couldn’t _ remember.

He could hear the chaos around him, and through bleary eyes, he struggled to see what was happening. He could see a mostly brown shape trading blows with the Joker. She moved with precision and  _ ease _ which meant she was definitely a crime fighter like him and Bruce. She barely made a sound as she twisted and turned, weaving elegantly away from the clown...and  _ towards him _ .

She positioned herself between him and the  _ Joker. _ Jason felt a tiny spark of  _ hope  _ that perhaps this was a friend of Bruce’s. Maybe Bruce had sent someone to help because he was trying to stop the Joker’s plot? Maybe this person in the brownish-grey bob was a  _ friend  _ who could help him. 

“Stop or I’ll blow us all sky high! This place is rigged to go kaboom , and I’ve got the remote!”

Jason felt a shiver of  _ fear _ travel through his body. Bombs?! He hadn’t seen any bombs when the Joker brought him in! Where were the bombs? Where was B? Why wasn’t he there? Why hadn’t B come with the strange woman who was trying to save him? How was this going to end?

Jason couldn’t get to the bombs to disable them…neither could Paonne. Odds were he had too many for one hero and a badly wounded sidekick to take care of. They were going to get  _ blown up _ . They were going to die by being  _ blown up _ .

“I’d love to see you try.”

The boy heard the floor shake as a loud roar...a bear? A loud roar, similar to a bear’s, echoed around the walls of the warehouse. The Joker let out a howl of laughter before Jason caught sound of something like a  _ body _ thudding against the crates. He could vaguely make out the shape of someone approaching him.

_ Pain _ shot through his body as he was lifted up into someone’s arms. He struggled to free himself for a few moments before finally being able to put the piece together just  _ where _ he heard that voice before. 

“Shh, shh, little one. My fierce,  _ brave  _ little chick. I’m here. Maman’s here.”

Maman.

Emilie.

Paonne was  _ Emilie! _

Jason’s thoughts trailed back to his first days in Bruce’s care. He had seemed to be anticipating someone’s arrival, but he hadn’t told Jason who. All the young boy had known was that one guest room had been prepared, and both Alfred and Bruce had seemed to be in good spirits. He had been even more shocked when Dick Grayson had arrived, giving Bruce a stiff hello.

The former Robin had sat beside him while Bruce had waited anxiously at the foyer for Alfred’s return.

“What’s going on?” Jason had asked, suspicious.

His thoughts had been plagued with things like Bruce was finally going to send him  _ back _ . That Bruce had been  _ tired _ of putting up with Jason, so now he was going to  _ get rid of him. _ Dick had just thrown his head back and laughed at the question. The older Robin’s blue gaze had been kind when he said, “Maman’s coming today.”

“Maman?”

“Bruce’s best friend in the whole world...who he’s also  _ helplessly _ in love with. Her name is actually Emilie Graham de Vanily, but she’s more like my mom now. She was around when Bruce first adopted me, and she came around every summer.”

“But it’s not—”

“She came early to see you. B must have mentioned he adopted another boy to Emilie. As much as B  _ wishes  _ she was coming to see  _ him _ , she’s really coming to see  _ us. _ ”

“What do you—?”

“B  _ can’t  _ win a fight against her.”

“He...he  _ can’t _ ?”

“ _ Nope _ . Why do you think I got to be Nightwing without having to completely  _ leave _ Gotham? Maman was  _ ruthless _ about allowing me to stay, especially when she heard  _ you _ might be sticking around as the new Robin. If she thinks B is being too hard on you, she’ll  _ let _ him know.”

Jason could remember being amazed by that fact. Bruce was  _ Batman _ , and  _ no one _ won against Batman! What kind of powers did this lady have? Was she a meta? Was she a goddess? Was she secretly an Amazon?

He could also remember the moment Emilie had arrived.

Jason had understood  _ why _ Bruce was entranced by her. She was a very pretty woman, with soft looking blonde hair and gentle green eyes. She had a sweet looking smile and a warmth to her that Jason hadn’t been able to explain. He had watched how her face lit up upon seeing Dick. He had watched how  _ tightly _ she’d held the other boy, and how she seemed to have remembered everything about him with  _ ease _ .

She had ruffled his hair, poked his stomach, and  _ demanded  _ to know if he was eating enough. Despite Dick trying to wave off her concern, the woman had been  _ relentless _ in her inquiries into his health and wellbeing.

“I didn’t raise you to see you not to take care of yourself! I know B’s not the best at it, but hey, I tried to teach you!” she had teased Dick.

Then she had spotted Jason, still sitting on the living room couch, feeling small and out of place.

Emilie had approached him slowly, keeping a good distance between herself and Jason. At the time he hadn’t noticed, but later on he’d reflect on how that was a sign she was  _ safe _ . She had sat down on the floor a few feet away and introduced herself to Jason. She had waited for Jason to feel  _ safe  _ before engaging with him. There had  _ never  _ been any anger or frustration in her voice, even when he stormed off, unsure and afraid.

He’d overheard her telling Bruce that “Of course he’s acting out. I’m a stranger in his home, and he doesn’t know me. You picked this kid off the  _ streets _ , Bruce. He isn’t going to automatically trust me like Dick did. I’ve gotta  _ prove _ myself to him, and I don’t mind. This is  _ one _ of the  _ only _ things he’s able to control. Let him  _ have this. _ ”

And prove herself she had.

Even when Bruce proved to be a source of anxiety and strain, even when Emilie was an ocean away, she had  _ always  _ made time to listen to Jason. Emilie had soon learned what kind of books Jason liked to read. She had learned his interests. She had sent him books in French and challenged him to translate them. She had taken a genuine interest in his life.

It was more than Catherine had been  _ capable of. _

It was more than Sheila  _ wanted _ .

“ _ Emmie _ ,” he managed to wheeze out, struggling to  _ see _ her face.

“Shh, baby, save your strength. It’s going to be okay. I’m going to _ get you out _ of here. B should be on his way.”

Emilie was  _ here _ .

His maman had  _ come to save him _ .

If Jason could have, he would have  _ sobbed _ . He had been  _ so scared _ that Bruce wasn’t going to find him in time. He was  _ so scared _ that the Joker was going to  _ kill him _ . He was so  _ afraid of dying _ ...but things were going to be  _ okay _ .

The woman who took him to get ice cream on bad days was  _ here _ . The woman who  _ held  _ Jason after he had a nightmare was here. The woman who had dropped  _ everything _ to see Jason’s first play was here. The woman who  _ loved  _ Jason unconditionally was here. Blood or not, Emilie Graham de Vanily  _ loved _ Dick and Jason, and he had  _ never _ doubted that love.

Jason had once again been given proof  _ not to. _

He let himself go limp in his maman’s arms, trusting her to get them to safety. Emilie would get them out of the warehouse, away from the Joker. Bruce would show up, and they would get him medical attention. They would  _ take care  _ of Jason. He wasn’t  _ alone anymore. _ His maman would get him to safety. Things were going to be  _ okay. _

And then Jason heard the explosion behind them.

Something was  _ wrong. _

He felt Emilie’s limbs  _ lock  _ up, her body going rigid. She wasn’t speaking to him any longer, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t call her name. He felt his body hit the snow and let out a pained whimper. He couldn’t  _ hear _ Emilie anymore. What had  _ happened _ to Emilie? What was going on?

Jason felt his limbs going dumb from the cold around him, and he was in too much pain to shiver effectively. He silently prayed to whatever God may exist that Bruce would get here soon. Bruce would be able to help them. Bruce would be able to save them—

The familiar roar of a motorcycle had Jason relaxing subconsciously.

Bruce was  _ here. _

Jason passed out before his father could dismount.

———————

When he woke up, there was an eerie silence hanging over the room.

Jason groaned, blinking a few times before wondering why his body was so  _ stiff. _ He looked around, taking in the white walls and realizing he was in a hospital. The pit in his stomach began to uncoil a little.  _ Bruce  _ must have gotten to them in time. He took a deep breath, his nose burning slightly as the scent of antiseptic rushed in.

_ Wait _ .

Jason tried taking a deep breath again. His ribs  _ didn’t  _ hurt. He  _ could  _ breathe. His lungs appeared to be fully  _ functional _ . How could that be? The Joker had slammed a  _ crowbar _ down in his chest repeatedly! Even if the doctors had performed surgery to repair his collapsed lung, his chest should still  _ hurt _ .

His head didn’t hurt  _ either _ . His vision was  _ clear _ . He didn’t have a headache, or any of the other symptoms that were  _ supposed  _ to accompany a concussion. Jason immediately began scanning his body, realizing that all of his wounds had  _ scarred _ .

What was  _ going on? _

His attention snapped to the door as he heard it open. He watched as the door opened slowly to reveal a  _ small boy _ . The little boy had pitch black hair and dull blue eyes. He was holding a bouquet of flowers that had a  _ Get Well Soon  _ card in them. The little boy hadn’t looked at him yet, going over to a flower vase that Jason hadn’t realized was there. The little boy went about changing the flowers before starting to speak.

“I hope you wake up soon.”

_ What? _

“Bruce...he’s...he’s not doing well. Almost losing you...losing Emilie… it really hurt him.”

_ Losing  _ Emilie?

“I can still remember reading the papers. ‘ _ Jason Todd-Wayne and Emilie Graham de Vanily in Tragic Accident’ _ . You were in a coma...and Emilie...they claimed you were mugged. Bruce told the doctors you must have protected Emilie which was why you were so badly beaten, and Emilie wasn’t.”

Jason’s heart nearly  _ stopped  _ in his chest.

_ Emilie _ had been hurt?!

“Bruce got  _ really _ violent after that. He nearly killed several criminals before I stepped in. Losing Emilie and you being in a coma was the single  _ worst _ thing that could have happened to him. Batman needs a Robin. He needs a Robin to remember  _ why _ he’s fighting the criminals instead of killing or joining them. He needed a Robin to stay  _ sane. _ ”

The kid stared at the dead flowers for a few minutes before continuing.

“I  _ know  _ I’ve been telling you the same story for the last five months, but I used to  _ follow  _ you and Batman. You were my  _ favorite  _ Robin. I like Dick well enough...but you were  _ different _ . You were cool in a way I could never be.  _ When  _ you wake up, I hope you can forgive  _ me  _ for becoming Robin. I  _ believe  _ you’re going to wake up, just to let you know. The doctors aren’t hopeful since you’ve been in a coma for  _ seven  _ months, but I believe in you. You’re  _ Robin  _ after all.”

_ Seven months?! _

A feeling of terror washed over Jason as he processed those words. It would make sense. Most of Jason’s injuries had healed. Jason had residual feelings of pain and fatigue, but if he’d been comatose for  _ seven months _ that would explain that too. Jason had been in a coma for  _ seven months _ . He’d  _ lost _ seven months of his  _ life _ .

And Bruce had  _ replaced him. _

Bruce had  _ replaced him _ with the little boy currently cleaning up the dead flowers and washing the vase. He stared a hole into the boy’s back, feelings conflicted. He wanted to be  _ angry _ with the boy. He wanted to  _ know _ how the boy could take  _ his title _ while he was  _ dying _ in the hospital. He wanted to  _ know _ how Bruce carried on like Jason’s life  _ wasn’t  _ hanging by a thread. He wanted to know if Bruce had a  _ lineup _ of kids he’d adopt so he could  _ always  _ have a Robin by his side.

At the same time, a voice (that sounded like  _ Emilie _ ) reminded him that the little boy had been  _ telling _ him the same story for the past  _ five months _ . The boy had said that  _ Jason _ was his favorite Robin. The boy had  _ brought _ flowers. He had  _ clearly _ been visiting Jason. If Jason had to guess, five months ago was probably when the boy  _ became _ Robin. He’d been visiting Jason instead of leaving him to  _ rot _ . He’d been  _ talking  _ to Jason.

He  _ believed _ in Jason’s ability to recover.

“... _ please _ wake up, Jason. I never  _ wanted this _ . I didn’t want to  _ replace you _ . I wanted to help, and Dick refused to take the mantle  _ back _ . I know that’s disgraceful to your memory...but Bruce needed help before he  _ killed someone _ ...or  _ himself.” _

The little boy had finished putting new water into the vase. He gently deposited the new flowers into the vase before turning around. The boy still didn’t look up, his gaze fixed on the floor. There were  _ tears _ in his eyes now, and he was  _ shaking _ .

“If you die too...I don’t...I don’t think Dick will make it.”

All of the anger that was building towards Bruce  _ dissipated _ in that second, replaced by an overwhelming  _ concern _ for Dick. What had happened? Was Dick  _ hurt  _ somehow? Why would he not make it if Jason  _ didn’t  _ wake up?

“He’s  _ furious  _ with Bruce. He won’t even  _ look _ at me,” the kid continued, tears flowing steadily. “He  _ screamed _ the second Bruce brought me home. He  _ demanded  _ to know how Bruce could just  _ replace you. _ ..but I didn’t  _ want _ to replace you! Then he started yelling at me, telling me how I should have  _ never _ agreed to this. He said that Robin was Jason, and Jason was  _ dying _ .”

The boy slid down to the floor, curling in on himself.

“He said he  _ hated _ us. He  _ hated  _ us for trying to replace you. He also told Bruce that he was an  _ idiot _ for not thinking that you were going to try and find your  _ mom  _ with or without him, and that he should have been paying more  _ attention _ to you. He said that Bruce  _ should have listened _ to Emilie when she said she was  _ worried _ .

Apparently, Emilie had  _ offered  _ to take you to see your mom while Bruce worked on the Joker angle. She had said she was worried about you sneaking off on your own, and Bruce said you wouldn’t. Dick then said that was  _ why  _ Emilie went to rescue you without him.”

The little boy sniffled before playing with the hem of his pant leg.

“Dick...Dick hasn’t been eating. He hasn’t been doing much at all according to Alfred and his friends. That Wally guy was  _ seriously _ worried about him. He went to her funeral but stood on the other side of the coffin  _ away _ from us. Everyone there was so  _ worried _ because once she’d been buried, he  _ disappeared _ . Turns out he  _ binge drank _ for the next few days.

He comes to visit you too… just never when  _ I’m _ around. The last time I saw him, he’d lost  _ a lot _ of weight… he had marks on his arms too. If you don’t wake up, Dick will  _ die _ . He already lost  _ Emilie _ … I don’t think he’d survive losing you too.”

The kid threw his head back, his eyes closed as he tried to fight back the tears now.

“Alfred told me about Emilie. He said she was  _ extraordinarily _ kind and compassionate. He said that when Bruce first adopted Dick, Emilie was  _ there. _ That Emilie had essentially become a second mother to Dick and was always the mediator to smooth out fights. He also… he also told me about how she  _ respected  _ you. How she knew you  _ weren’t _ Dick and couldn’t be approached the  _ same. _ He told me about how Emilie convinced Dick to stick around for  _ you _ , to show  _ you _ the ropes as Robin. Emilie helped you  _ both  _ with the transition...didn’t she? She took you and Dick out and about to see movies or go to museums.

She  _ bonded _ with you and helped you  _ bond _ with each other. Alfred said he wasn’t sure if you and Dick would have become as close as you did  _ without _ her. She  _ loved  _ you. Dick  _ loves _ you. I’m  _ jealous _ . I’d do  _ anything _ to have someone like that in my life. I wish I could have met her. She seemed like a great  _ mom _ .”

“She  _ is _ a great mom. Why do you keep talking in the past tense?”

The little boy’s eyes snapped open as he fell over. Scrambling to his feet, the little boy finally  _ looked _ at Jason.

Jason, who’s expression was  _ livid _ .

“Tell me what you  _ meant _ by if I die  _ too _ . You said Emilie was just  _ lost _ right? Sometimes she  _ does  _ that. If Bruce pisses her off, she’ll go de-stress for a while. She  _ always _ comes back. I don’t get why all of you are being  _ stupid _ about this,” Jason growled. “Where’s  _ Bruce _ anyway?”

“...you’re  _ awake... _ you’re  _ AWAKE! _ ” the little boy gasped. “I’ve  _ gotta  _ tell Bruce! No, wait, I’ve gotta tell  _ Alfred! _ He’ll make sure Dick knows too—”

“Who the fuck even  _ are you?!” _ Jason shouted, feeling pissed off.

Why the hell was this kid talking like Emilie was  _ dead _ ? She was probably blowing off some steam, and since Jason nearly  _ died _ , she was taking her time to come back to Bruce. As soon as Dick got here, he’d ask the older boy to set the record straight.

“...I’m Tim Drake...I’m the third Robin… just give me a minute, and I’ll call Alfred,” the boy responded. “...and I think I should wait for Bruce to explain the rest.”

The boy pulled out a cellphone and quickly dialed a number. He held it to his ear, looking anxiously between the floor and the still pissed Jason.

“Alfred! It’s Jason! He—”

“Alfred, what the— and pardon my language— actual  _ fuck _ is going on?!” Jason yelled, trying to be heard over the phone.

“Yeah, Alfred, that was him. He’s awake! He woke up toda—oh...you need to talk to him? Are you sure you don’t want to wait for Bruce...it could hurt him though…”

“Hand the fuckin’ phone over pipsqueak,” Jason snarled. “I want to talk to Alfred,  _ if _ that’s even really him!”

Tim handed Jason the phone silently and stepped back towards the door. Jason raised an eyebrow before putting the phone to his ear and saying, “Give me the sitrep, Al. What’s going on, and who’s this Drake kid?”

Jason  _ nearly _ dropped the phone as he heard muffled sobs come from the other end. Alfred didn’t cry! This  _ couldn’t  _ be Alfred—

“Master Jason...you’ve been in a coma for the past seven months.”

Oh...so that was true.

Assuming time had passed because his body had recovered just didn’t have the same slap to the face as  _ hearing _ someone tell you you’ve been in a coma.

“The doctors didn’t have much hope for you, but Master Dick  _ threatened _ Master Bruce would regret everything if he didn’t keep you in treatment. As for Master Tim, he’s our neighbor. His parents...his parents aren’t the best, so Master Bruce took him in.”

This little brat really  _ was _ Robin.

Bruce had really replaced him.

Jason felt his chest  _ ache _ .

“What about Maman, Alfred? This kid keeps talking like she’s dead—”

“...there is no easy way to say this.”

No.

No.

No. No. No. No. No. NO.

She  _ couldn’t _ be dead.

She just  _ couldn’t. _

“...Miss Emilie rescued you...but when she did...something went wrong. We aren’t certain if she over-exerted herself or if another hand was at play...but when Master Bruce found you, Miss Emilie was  _ barely _ breathing. He took you both to the hospital...you fell into a coma due to the trauma of your injuries.

Miss Emilie...Emilie was found to be brain-dead. They ran all sorts of different tests, but she wasn’t responsive to anything. The doctors told us there was no hope...but Master Bruce kept her on life support for three months before...before we decided to let her go.”

No.

Emilie  _ wasn’t  _ dead!

She  _ couldn’t  _ be dead!

This  _ had  _ to be some sort of sick joke—

“It’s not a  _ joke _ , Jason.”

Jason saw  _ red _ .

Ignoring Alfred, he  _ chucked  _ the phone as hard as he possibly could at his adopted father.

Bruce was standing there, clean and put together. His hair was cut, his beard trimmed. His suit wasn’t wrinkled, and he was standing tall. Behind him was a cowering Tim Drake, who looked as if a land mine were about to explode.

“Emilie  _ died _ trying to save you,  _ Jason.” _

Something inside Jason  _ snapped _ .

“Emilie  _ died  _ four months ago. She had  _ no  _ brain activity. She was  _ never _ going to wake up. She’s  _ gone _ , Jason. We buried her in a plot near my family’s. I can take you to see her grave after we’re sure you’re fine.”

“How can you  _ say _ that?” Jason snarled. “How can you say she’s  _ dead _ like you’re reciting the fucking  _ weather! _ ”

“Because she  _ is _ . It doesn’t  _ matter _ how I say it...it’s not going to  _ change _ .”

“You could sound more  _ upset _ about it though,” another voice joined in. “Then again, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.  _ Jason _ ...I’m so happy you’re  _ alive _ .”

God, the Drake kid was  _ right. _ Dick looked  _ horrible _ .

His older brother’s hair was  _ wild _ . It reached past his shoulders, and it looked unkempt. He looked like he had two black eyes with how  _ dark  _ the bags under them were. He was a  _ lot _ skinnier than Jason ever remembered him being. He smelled of alcohol, and his eyes were narrowed with  _ rage _ .

“Dickie...Dickie,  _ what happened _ ?” Jason whispered, looking at his older brother in terror. “What happened to  _ you?” _

“Jay...they’re not lying. Maman died trying to bring you home. You’ve been in a coma...I was so  _ scared _ you were going to leave too.”

Jason felt the sharp twinge in his chest come back with a  _ vengeance _ . He needed  _ proof _ . He needed to  _ see _ with his own two  _ eyes _ . He couldn’t just  _ accept this! _

“Take me to her,” Jason rasped. “Take me to her, Dick. I-I-I have to  _ see _ —”

“You’re  _ not _ leaving! Not until they make sure you’re fine—”

“ _ No one’s fucking fine, Bruce.” _

Dick had stepped forward, standing in front of Bruce.

“Our mother is  _ dead. _ ..she’s  _ dead _ , and you’re already talking to  _ another _ woman?! Jason was  _ nearly dead _ , and what did you do? You took in another son to  _ replace him _ !”

“What was I supposed to do—” Bruce tried to argue.

“There’s this excellent thing called the  _ Child Abuse Hotline _ . You didn’t  _ have _ to take the kid in! Jason had been in a coma for  _ two months _ before you wrote him off as a  _ lost cause! _ ”

“I did not—”

“Yes, you did! You gave that kid the mantle of Robin  _ without  _ Jason’s  _ consent or knowledge _ . You could have named him something  _ else! _ He didn’t have to  _ be _ Robin, dammit! You could have saved or  _ retired _ the mantle in Jason’s honor, but  _ no _ ! We’re not as  _ important _ .”

“Dick that’s not true—”

“Then why has Selina Kyle been skulking about our house?”

“She’s just being a friend—”

“Oh yeah,  _ she’s _ just a  _ friend—” _

Jason ripped out his IV, ignoring the pain of medical tape peeling off skin. He tried to stand up, only to collapse. His weakened legs were not used to supporting his weight anymore (or what little he had retained). Before his head could hit the floor, Dick caught him.

“Take me to see, Maman... _ please _ Dickie.”

Dick took one scathing look at Bruce and Tim before spiriting Jason out the window he’d come through.

—————

It was all  _ his _ fault.

It was all  _ his  _ fault.

It was all  _ his _ fault.

It was all  _ his _ fault.

If he’d just stayed put...if he had  _ listened  _ to Bruce for once in his laughably short existence, then she  _ wouldn’t be dead. _ Emilie wouldn’t have  _ needed  _ to come rescue Jason if he’d just  _ listened. _ If he hadn’t been so busy chasing after a  _ dream _ , he could have  _ still  _ had a mother. If he  _ hadn’t run off by himself… _ Emilie would still be  _ alive _ .

This was all  _ his _ doing.

He had  _ killed _ his mother.

He had  _ killed _ the only mother that had ever  _ loved  _ him unconditionally.

Her death was  _ on his hands _ .

He had  _ killed her _ .

Jason stared blankly at the soft white headstone. Shaking fingers reached out to trace the lettering, feeling the cold air sting his skin. He felt the unshed tears piling up as he read over the inscription again and again.

_ RIP _

_ Emilie Graham de Vanily _

_ A loving Mother, _

_ Friend, _

_ Sister, _

_ And hero. _

He… he hadn’t even gotten to say  _ goodbye _ .

Jason hadn’t even had the chance to  _ thank _ her for coming for him.

Jason had caused the death of the most important person in his  _ life _ .

Emilie would no longer be there to chase away the nightmares. She would never get ice cream with him again. She’d never take him and Dick places she thought they’d enjoy. She’d never read to Jason again. She’d never practice acrobatic moves with Dick again. She’d never smile at them again. She’d never hug them again. She’d never—

Jason felt his chest  _ burn _ as he clutched the grave, screaming, “I’m  _ sorry _ !”

He felt a hand rub his back gently as the tears fell. He howled at the sky for forgiveness. He screamed that he’d never wanted  _ this _ . He screamed, asking for whatever Gods existed to  _ take him instead _ . Let him die so that Emilie could  _ live again _ . She was worth more than him, most certainly!

“I’m  _ sorry,  _ Maman! I’m  _ sorry! _ ”

But Emilie would never hear him apologize again either.


	18. Day 18: Withdrawal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Could be connected to day 14, but can be read as stand alone.
> 
> This is Bargami or Bart Allen/Kagami Tsurugi.
> 
> More hurt/comfort than fluff.
> 
> No big warnings for this one aside from A+ parenting from Tomoe.

Something was terribly wrong.

When Bart came home, the lights were off and everything was dark. It hadn’t looked like anything had been touched. When he walked to the fridge, he saw the container of soup he’d made still full, meaning she hadn’t touched that either. There was no sign of his girlfriend anywhere, which was odd. He knew that she was supposed to be coming home today from visiting her mother—

Ah, now there could be the problem.

The red-head quietly crept towards their room. His green eyes scanned the floor, seeing his girlfriend’s red suitcase near the door to their bedroom. He looked at their bed, noticing a lump curled up on his side. The lump was shaking slightly, and he let out a deep sigh. He was really hoping this wouldn’t happen again.

“Gami-chan?” he whispered softly. “My dragon?”

The lump went still for a moment before the blankets tightened around her.

“Oh, Gami-chan,” Bart murmured. “I take it didn’t go so well?”

The lump whimpered in response and soft sobbing began to come from the sheets. Hearing her cries, it took every ounce of control Bart had not to run to France to give her mother a piece of his mind. It seemed like every time Kagami went to visit Tomoe, she came back withdrawn and somber. She would bundle herself up in their sheets and hug her little dragon to her chest.

Depending on what Tomoe had said to her daughter, Kagami would either bounce back fast or it would take a week. The worst withdrawal Kagami had ever gone through was when she locked herself in her room while she was still living with Marinette and Chloe. The Japanese girl had locked herself in for almost  _ two _ weeks. She only opened the door enough for Marinette to push food and water through...and she’d only done that after Chloe threatened to take her door off the hinges. 

Bart had later learned that Tomoe had told Kagami she was wasting her life away, and at this rate, she would never amount to much. She had told her daughter that she should return to France, break up with Bart, and look at the eligible young men chosen by Tomoe. Her mother had then gone on to tell Kagami she’d set up some meetups for her  _ with _ these individuals.

Kagami had  _ refused _ to speak to her mother until she broke off the meetings, citing that she was now an  _ adult _ and could make her  _ own _ decisions. She hadn’t spoken with her mother for nearly two years after the incident. Tomoe had appeared to try to mend fences with her daughter, and this was the third time Kagami had gone home to see her mother since.

Bart rubbed his face before stripping down to his boxers. He crawled into bed, wrapping his arms around the Kagami sized lump. He began humming, waiting for her to peel the covers back. He continued to whisper quietly, telling Kagami that he loved her and that he was here for her. He tried to keep his body as still as possible, despite the tingling in his limbs.

Kagami needed him slowed down and calm.

Eventually, he spotted his girlfriend’s dark hair peeking out from under the covers. Her dark brown eyes were red with tears, and Bart felt his heart  _ clench _ . He gave her a gentle smile, reaching out to touch her face. He wiped away a tear before kissing her forehead softly.

“Gami-chan, can I join you?” he asked.

Kagami didn’t speak, but allowed Bart to shimmy under the sheets with her. She sniffled, holding the little red dragon he’d gotten her. She allowed him to get close, buiring her head in his shoulder, nuzzling his neck. She continued to sniffle and cry, tears still dripping down her cheeks.

Bart wrapped his arms tightly around her, gently stroking her hair. He allowed her to cry some more, just holding her close. He knew Kagami would talk to him when she was ready. For now, he was just content to hold her. He’d drawn her out of her shell once, and he was confident he could do it again. He kissed her face repeatedly, waiting until he heard soft giggles before stopping.

“I love you, Gami-chan. You are fierce, hardworking, strong, brave, and sweet. You’re the coolest girl I know. Whatever your mom said, she’s wrong. You’re not a failure. You’re not going to end up alone. You’ve got me, Mari, Chloe, Con, and Tim,” Bart whispered, pressing his forehead to hers. “Besides,  _ who’s _ at the top of their class in  _ all _ of her business classes?”

Kagami gave him a weak smile in response, making Bart feel slightly better. He gently took the little dragon out of her arms. He held the plush toy in one hand and pressed the dragon’s snout into Kagami’s cheek. He grinned before saying, in a squeaky voice, “Hi, Gami-chan! I’m Aimi, and I’m here with an important message for you! I’m here to tell you that you’re amazing, and you can do anything you put your mind to!”

He watched her giggle, feeling warmth flood his chest. She always looked so pretty when she smiled. Bart couldn’t think of a sweeter sound then his girlfriend’s laughter. He continued nuzzling the plush toy against Kagami’s cheek, talking in his squeaky voice until Kagami snatched the toy back.

Kagami hummed, her dark eyes fixed on Bart. She gently kissed him before murmuring, “Thank you, Baa-kun.”

Bart smiled brightly as Kagami yawned. She soon fell asleep, a small smile on her face, pressed against him. He cuddled her, resting his chin on top of her head. He didn’t sleep, not quite yet. He wanted to make sure Kagami was going to  _ stay _ asleep before he took a nap. He knew fighting with her mother brought back unpleasant memories that sometimes resulted in nightmares.

If she had a nightmare, Kagami would withdraw even more into herself.

Bart  _ wasn’t _ going to let that happen.

Because no matter what Tomoe Tsurugi thought, Bart Allen  _ loved _ Kagami Tsurugi, and he would move heaven and earth to make sure she  _ never _ had to be alone again. 


	19. Day 19: Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter has depictions of child abuse (physical). Please take caution.
> 
> This falls in line with a separate Maribat fic titled "The Head Omega". This is a/b/o.
> 
> Adrien has a nightmare about why he had to leave Paris.
> 
> Luckily, his packmates and soulmate are there for him.

_ “What is this?” _

_ Adrien felt himself flinch as he heard his father’s voice. He sounded  _ **_angry_ ** _...angrier than the young blond had  _ **_ever_ ** _ heard. The boy was laying on his bed, feeling weak and warm. He wasn’t certain  _ **_what_ ** _ was going on. All he knew was he felt like he had a fever, and he was  _ **_damp_ ** _. He curled himself up tighter in his sheets, shivering and whimpering. _

_ “I can’t  _ **_believe_ ** _ this! My son  _ **_can’t_ ** _ be an omega!” his father roared. _

_ “I’m sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Agreste,” the physician responded, “but your son is exhibiting all the classic signs of a first heat. He is definitely an omega.” _

_ Adrien’s green eyes were clamped shut, fearful of what would happen once the doctor left. He would be left all alone with his father...his father, who  _ **_didn’t_ ** _ really like omegas. His mother had been the only omega he’d liked, but he’d liked her because she could give him children. He had liked his mom because she was  _ **_bonded_ ** _ to him, and therefore couldn’t leave without several different issues. _

_ He was supposed to be his father’s  _ **_successor_ ** _. _

_ He was supposed to be an  _ **_alpha_ ** _ like his father. _

**_Omegas_ ** _ couldn’t lead a company...not in his father’s opinion. _

_ Adrien fought back the urge to  _ **_scream_ ** _ as he smelled old clothing and dirt, bitter and soured with  _ **_rage_ ** _ coming closer to him. He clenched the sheets tightly, his knuckles going white. He felt fear course through his veins as he felt a hand  _ **_grab_ ** _ his blankets. They were ripped off of him, and Adrien’s weak body fought to get up. _

_ A hand found its way to Adrien’s hair, yanking him up harshly. He let out a yelp, but was swiftly silenced by a backhand to the face. He looked up in fear at his father, whose lifeless blue eyes shone with  _ **_rage_ ** _. _

_ “YOU PATHETIC,  _ **_WORTHLESS_ ** _ , EXCUSE FOR A WHELP!” _

_ “...father, please—” _

_ “DON’T YOU FATHER ME!” _

_ Adrien was dragged out of his bed by his hair. He fell to the floor with a thud, his entire body still trembling. The boy felt a strong hand wrap around his  _ **_throat_ ** _ , lifting him off of the floor. He clawed at his father’s hands, kicking and flailing, trying to get loose. This just caused the grip on his throat to  _ **_tighten_ ** _. _

_ “YOU WEREN’T SUPPOSED TO BE AN  _ **_OMEGA_ ** _! YOU’LL NEVER AMOUNT TO ANYTHING NOW! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU INSTEAD OF YOUR MOTHER WHO **DISAPPEARED**!" _

_ The blond dropped to the floor, holding his nose, which was now bleeding. His father didn’t stop. The man kicked Adrien repeatedly in the chest and stomach, ignoring the boy’s pleas and cries. Blows continued to rain down on the boy, his father hitting him repeatedly in face. _

_ Adrien was shoved against his bed, and the hand came back for his throat— _

“Adrien?”

Green eyes snapped open as the blond fought to inhale. He could feel his skin sticky with sweat, feeling warm and cold all at once. Adrenaline was rushing through his body, causing him to shake. He felt as though he couldn’t breathe, as if he were choking on  _ nothing _ .

His father was  _ hurting _ him.

His father was going to  _ kill _ him. 

His heart was  _ pounding _ in his chest as he struggled to escape whatever was encasing him. He couldn’t think of anything but  _ escaping _ . He needed to get out before he was hurt. He needed to get out before his father—

“Adrien...oh, Adrien.”

_ Wait _ .

That wasn’t his father’s voice.

Adrien blinked a few times, struggling to focus on the voice. It was female, soft and concerned. The voice reminded him of his mom. His mom used to talk to him after he had nightmares. Was he having a nightmare? What  _ was _ going on?

The voice came in clearer now, asking Adrien to tell her what he could  _ feel. _

He could feel something soft...a blanket. He could feel someone’s hand pressed flat against his spine, as if they were trying to hold him  _ up _ . He could feel two small, soft hands grasping his. Their thumbs were rubbing his hands in a soothing manner.

Adrien focused on sounds next.

The soft voice was still there...Marinette, his brain supplied. But what was Marinette doing in his room? Didn’t she know she’d get in trouble if his father found her here?! She could get hurt! He went to talk to Marinette before another voice entered his consciousness.

“...happening? Can’t I…”

“Give… Jon...Marinette...calm…”

Those two voices didn’t belong to his father either. They were too youthful, too concerned about whatever was going on to be his father. His father was never concerned with anything aside from his business after all.

Was his father not here?

Adrien’s breathing began to even out as Marinette helped him count to ten. He slowly felt himself being pulled back into his body. He could feel the warm tears falling down his cheeks as he choked, “I don’t wanna  _ die _ , Mari. He’s going to  _ kill me _ . I wasn’t  _ supposed to be _ an omega.”

Finally the scents hit him.

Marinette’s familiar cherry and vanilla scent was a welcome comfort, even if it was tinged with  _ anger _ . She was still holding his hands, speaking softly to him. She was telling him that he was  _ not _ going to die, and that  _ they _ would never let that happen.

The hand on his back began to rub as the scent of fresh coffee and mint floated into his nose. It was tinged with  _ surprise _ and an overwhelming sense of  _ sadness _ . Adrien turned his head to see the pale blue eyes of Tim gazing back at him. The older omega looked concerned...and yet  _ understanding. _ Adrien pressed into his touch, whimpering and whining, desperate for comfort.

A third scent almost sent him back into the spiral until he got a good look at the person.

Backed against the wall of their nest, trying to make himself as small as possible was Jon. The alpha looked  _ distressed _ . His unearthly blue eyes were focused on Adrien, a look of concern on his face. He looked  _ torn _ between staying where he was and moving closer to the omega. Adrien also noticed that Jon was looking at Marinette and Tim, as if waiting for  _ their _ approval to come any closer.

“Are you back with us, Kitten?” Tim asked, scooching closer to Adrien.

The blond flopped back onto Tim, letting the older omega comfort him. The dark haired boy took it in stride, purring softly as he ran his fingers through his hair. Adrien curled up close before looking at Marinette. His Head Omega gave him a comforting smile before softly asking him if he wanted Jon to leave.

The alpha let out a distressed whine, but didn’t try to argue with her. If Adrien needed him to leave, then Jon would leave. There was a big part of him, however, that wanted to  _ be _ the one soothing Adrien instead of his packmates. He wanted to  _ hold _ Adrien until the cries stopped, and it was killing him that he  _ couldn’t _ .

The thought that he might make it  _ worse _ also weighed on his mind.

Adrien shook his head vigorously. He didn’t  _ want _ Jon to leave! He just needed to  _ calm _ down. Once he got himself together, Jon’s presence wouldn’t be seen as a threat. Jon wasn’t his father. Jon smelled nothing  _ like _ his father. His father smelt like old things and decay while Jon was  _ warm _ and  _ comforting _ . He smelled like fresh baked apple pie and hay. He smelled like the outdoors and  _ freedom _ .

His brain was just  _ confused _ , acknowledging only the fact that it was an  _ alpha’s _ scent, and that it meant he was in  _ danger. _

About twenty minutes passed of Tim cuddling Adrien while Marinette kept an eye on Jon before Adrien’s fight-or-flight instincts finally turned off. He detached himself from Tim, giving the older omega an apologetic smile. Tim smiled back and ruffled his hair, reassuring him that it was okay. He looked at Marinette, who was still watching Jon with sharp eyes.

“Mari, it’s  _ okay _ . I’m sorry, Jon. It was just a nightmare—”

“Is it a nightmare if it really happened?” Jon asked quietly. “Are you positive I’m not allowed to go beat up your dad?”

“Hey, if  _ anyone _ is kicking Gabriel Agreste’s ass, it’s  _ going _ to be  _ me _ ,” Marinette snarled. “You can help dispose of the body.”

“I’m game. I’m sure Conner will help too. Jason has loads of practice getting rid of bodies, so he’s probably our best resource,” Jon said with a grin.

“And if you bat those pretty eyes at Damian, he’ll  _ definitely _ assist in all of this,” Tim added, looking at Marinette. “Damian would go scorched earth if you asked him, Bug.”

“And what will you be doing?” Marinette asked.

“Distracting Clark and Bruce so they can’t stop us, obviously.”

“Brilliant. They’ll never see us coming. Tim’s supposed to be the moderately responsible one!” Jon chirped.

Despite himself, Adrien began to  _ laugh _ .

Under  _ no _ circumstances did he want his friends to  _ kill _ his father, but he was  _ touched _ that they were willing to go that far for him. They truly  _ cared _ about Adrien and wanted the best for him. The fact they had a game plan together made him...slightly  _ concerned _ but happy.

“I love you guys,” Adrien gasped between laughter. “You’ve always got a plan.”

Jon gave him a bright smile that made his insides feel all gooey. The alpha then asked if it was okay for him to come closer. Before either Tim or Marinette could protest, Adrien launched himself at the alpha. Jon caught him easily, despite being surprised.

Adrien snuggled close to him before purring happily.

Everything was going to be okay.

He had his soulmate and his packmates…

And Adrien knew they were prepared to fight for him, come hell or high water.


	20. Day 20: Insomnia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While it's not explicit, Tim does show signs of depression and hinted suicidal ideation, so please be careful when reading. 
> 
> This also falls in line with "The Head Omega".
> 
> Tim can't sleep, but that's not unusual.
> 
> His omega packmates, however, aren't having any of it.

It wasn’t unusual for Tim to be awake at fuck all hours of the night.

His brothers, while concerned, had gotten used to it. Even Bruce had given up at this point. They all just accepted that Tim was ‘like that’. They assumed it was nightmares like the rest of them, but it wasn’t  _ just _ nightmares. Tim didn’t  _ know _ how to explain to his brothers, Bruce or Alfred the gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach. He didn’t know how to tell them there were nights where all Tim could think about was  _ dying _ .

They were all prepared to sacrifice their  _ lives _ for the mission, for the greater good.

No one seemed to notice just how  _ willing _ Tim was to die at the drop of a hat. No one seemed to notice how listless Tim was. They didn’t realize he wasn’t eating  _ again _ . He was living off coffee and spite, but he was having trouble even mustering up the  _ energy _ to feel spiteful. He might have a bagel or something small here or there, but he hadn’t eaten a full meal in a few days.

That didn’t even  _ begin _ to cover the array of thoughts that were going on in Tim’s head.

Some days were worse than others, but today’s was  _ particularly _ difficult. Tim had been having nightmares of his parents’ deaths again and of when Jason had tried to kill him. His head buzzed with thoughts of worthlessness, that he deserved to die...that he should have died instead of them. His anxiety had gotten so bad that he had refused to eat, citing he didn’t feel well. When Dick tried to ask him about it, it took everything in him not to lash out at the older man.

Dick had  _ never _ cared anyway. He’d thrown Tim out the  _ second _ he could for Damian. Dick clearly favored their younger brother, and it made Tim upset. Dick tried to apologize by explaining that he saw Tim as his equal, not his subordinate, which is what Robin was to Batman. That was the reason he gave for giving Damian the mantle of Robin, but that wasn’t  _ enough. _

He won’t  _ deny  _ it. Being Robin ended up being a very good thing for Damian. He just wished Dick had at least  _ talked _ to him about it  _ before _ telling Damian he’d be Robin. Maybe then it wouldn’t have felt like he, the _ only omega _ Robin, was being passed over for an  _ alpha _ . Tim would have had more time to come up with a new mantle, or at the very least, wouldn’t have been  _ blind-sided _ by Dick’s decision.

His heart broke a little more, remembering how his brothers  _ hadn’t _ believed him. They’d told Tim to  _ stop  _ looking for Bruce. They’d told Tim it was  _ hopeless _ . But Tim had been  _ right _ . He  _ knew _ Bruce wasn’t dead and had  _ found _ him.

What did that matter, though? He was never Robin again. Why would Bruce want to partner with some  _ weak _ omega when he had a perfectly  _ alpha _ son of his own—

“Timmy?”

The omega didn’t jump. He was too  _ tired _ . Let whoever it was  _ kill  _ him. He didn’t  _ care  _ anymore.

“Timmy, why aren’t you in the nest?”

_ Nest _ ?

Tim turned his bleary eyes towards the doorway to the kitchen, only to spot a pair of bright green eyes and brown hair. The smell of cotton and sandalwood came to Tim, but it was soft and layered with concerned curiosity. The other omega began to approach Tim, and he felt his body relax.

It was just Adrien.

“It’s your nest,” Tim shrugged.

“You’re not  _ making _ coffee, are you?! You’ll  _ never _ get back to sleep if you do!” Adrien said, looking at the mug Tim had grabbed. 

Tim looked down at the empty cup before responding, “I’m not going to go back to sleep anyway… I can’t.”

Adrien’s brow furrowed in disdain as he marched up to the older omega. He yanked the mug out of Tim’s hands and grabbed him by the wrist. Huffing, the younger omega began dragging the older one out of the kitchen and down the hall. He was quietly ranting about how it was  _ their _ nest, and that Tim  _ should _ be there. Especially if he couldn’t  _ sleep _ .

Tim subconsciously noted how the younger teen’s scent  _ soured _ with anxiety. He was too tired to process why or what was happening other than that his body was moving. He didn’t even try to fight Adrien. He just let the younger drag him towards their destination.

Marinette was standing at the doorway, grey eyes analyzing when Adrien and Tim arrived. She gestured for them to go inside first. Adrien pulled Tim in the room with Marinette following behind them.

Both Parisian omegas had discussed their concerns about the Wayne pack’s only omega. Tim looked exhausted, sick, underfed, and just plain  _ neglected _ . What they had learned was that Tim  _ neglected _ himself, and the others didn’t even  _ realize _ how bad it was. They were alphas, and they needed  _ different _ things. Marinette was still planning on having a  _ long _ talk with Mr. Wayne about Tim, but they acknowledged that the neglect wasn’t  _ malicious _ . The alphas weren’t  _ trying _ to hurt Tim, but they needed to be  _ educated _ .

Right now, alpha or omega, Tim needed to be _ held _ .

Both of their noses wrinkled at the  _ distress _ in Tim’s scent. He was clearly worked up about  _ something _ , and he needed the comfort of his pack. What worried them were the possible reasons Tim  _ wasn’t _ seeking out his other packmates. Had they  _ hurt _ him in the past? Did Tim not feel fully  _ integrated _ into the pack? Was this leftover from his time  _ before _ he was a Wayne? Was Tim  _ abused _ as a child, and that was why he had no  _ idea _ how to properly nest?

All these questions rested unpleasantly on their hearts.

Marinette, as always, had been the one to bring both of them back to the present. The dark haired girl knew they couldn’t change the past. Thinking about what Tim had gone through wouldn’t  _ help _ right now. They needed to do the only thing they could do— be better in the  _ present _ . They could  _ teach _ Tim how to nest. They could be the packmates Tim could  _ rely _ on. They could help Tim feel like he  _ belonged _ ...at least feel like he belonged with  _ them _ .

Adrien quickly tidied up the nest, rearranging the blankets to suit a third person. Once that was completed, he  _ yanked _ Tim in. The older boy stumbled a bit, but managed to land on his butt instead of his face. Weary blue-grey eyes looked between the two younger omegas, and they could  _ feel _ his discomfort.

Marinette promptly got in the nest and began playing with Tim’s hair. She tried to fix his bed head while Adrien nuzzled against Tim’s shoulder. Both omegas scented him, feeling a little relieved when his coffee and mint scent grew less bitter. The tension seemed to slowly release from his body, and soon they had a partially slumped Tim in their laps. The most distressing part was the fact the older omega had started  _ crying. _

“It was  _ my fault _ . If I hadn’t— If I’d just been a better  _ son _ — I  _ miss _ them so  _ much _ ,” he sobbed. “I  _ miss _ my parents...I  _ miss _ when things didn’t  _ hurt _ this much…I miss...I miss being able to  _ trust _ that the people in my life will be around when  _ I _ need them.”

Adrien and Marinette were both  _ heartbroken _ . The two continued to coo and purr, trying to reassure Tim that  _ they _ were there now. They were  _ there _ , and they weren’t  _ leaving _ Tim. They would  _ stay _ by Tim no matter what. Adrien pointed out that this was  _ especially _ true of Marinette, considering the other omega had  _ refused _ to abandon Adrien...regardless of the consequences.

Tim sobbed  _ harder _ , clinging to them for support.

Eventually, Adrien was able to pull Tim down so that he was laying down in a comfortable position. He continued to wipe away the older boy’s tears as Marinette moved to spoon Tim. The older omega didn’t fight either of them; instead he laid there limply, allowing Marinette and Adrien to manipulate his limbs.

They both purred, letting their scents wash over Tim. They wanted him to  _ know _ that he was  _ pack _ , and that meant they’d take  _ care _ of him. They wanted him to know he wasn’t  _ alone _ anymore.

Marinette and Adrien held Tim close for the rest of the night, even after the sobs had stopped.


	21. Day 21: Broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a drabble playing with the idea of Marinette having an adopted sibling (that's not Adrien)
> 
> Marinette had reached her breaking point.
> 
> Nino knew just what to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mon étoile- My star

_Everyone_ had their breaking point.

The issue was that no one expected _Marinette Dupain-Cheng_ to reach hers.

And no one expected the _hell_ that would be unleashed when she _did._

The normally bright and compassionate girl had been reduced to a _shell_ of her former self. The sunny-disposition the girl could usually conjure was _gone_ . The smiles, the reassurance, the confidence seemed to _melt_ away, leaving behind an anxious mess that flinched at her own shadow. She didn’t _talk_ anymore, not even to her parents.

It had been only a few months since she, Chat Noir, and her team had defeated Hawkmoth...who turned out to be Gabriel Agreste. The fight had been _long, hard,_ and _brutal_ . She had _died_ several times as had a few of her teammates. It was only thanks to Luka and his second chance that they’d had a _prayer_ of not losing anyone _permanently_ . Marinette _still_ had nightmares about dying.

She had been there when Gabriel Agreste was hauled off to prison. She had been there when _Emilie Agreste’s_ dead body was hauled out of Gabriel’s mansion. She had been there when Nathalie Sancouer _died_ in a hospital bed.

She had held _Adrien_ as he watched his world _shatter_. 

Marinette hadn’t taken Adrien’s miraculous back, but she _had_ needed to take _everyone_ else’s back. Some people had taken it better than others. Max, Luka, Kagami and most _surprisingly_ Chloe had been sad, but they said their goodbyes and returned the miraculous to Ladybug without a fight. They understood that Hawkmoth had terrorized the city for _four_ years just to get his hands on these jewels. He had been prepared to _destroy_ everything for the miraculous. They knew the _dangers_ of wearing them and the _threat_ to their families were they to keep them. 

They also _trusted_ that if Ladybug ever _needed_ them again that they would be the chosen ones.

Alya, Alix, and Kim had been the ones who’d taken it the worst. They’d _screamed_ about how they didn’t want to give up their partners. Alya said Trixx was _meant_ to be with her. Alix cited that the _watch_ had been in _her_ family for ages! Clearly, she was meant to keep the watch and pass it on to her next descendant! Kim simply didn’t understand why _Ladybug_ could keep _hers_ , but _they_ couldn’t keep _theirs_. 

It had been a struggle, but she’d managed to retrieve _all_ the miraculous again. She’d had help from the ones who’d relinquished their miraculouses willingly. By the end of it, Marinette had had to stand in front of her friends, some of whom were _screaming_ and others who were _smiling_. 

Marinette had felt the tears rush down her face as Kagami led the charge of those who would leave _willingly_ . Once they were gone, she was left with only the ones who demanded she return their miraculouses. Her heart _shattered_ as she whispered the spell she’d learned from the grimoire. She _had_ to protect the miraculous...even if it meant _removing_ their memories.

Class had been nearly _unbearable_ the next day.

She’d had to smile and pretend that _everything was fine_ . She’d had to pretend she _didn’t_ wipe their memories. She had to pretend that _nothing was going on_ . She had to pretend to be _shocked_ when the news reported on Adrien’s _father_ . She had to _watch_ as Lila draped herself over him, cooing and giving him false sympathy.

Adrien had _burst_ out of the room in _tears_.

While Marinette’s crush had died out, she had still really _cared_ about her best friend. The dark haired girl had texted Adrien to head towards her parents bakery. She had then texted her mom and told her to be on the lookout for Adrien. Both of her parents thought Adrien was such a nice boy, and both had been ready to fight Gabriel himself once they heard the news. The pair had agreed that they would take Adrien under their wings until things worked themselves out.

She had looked down at her phone a few minutes later, _relieved_ to see a text from her mom saying Adrien had made it to the bakery. Marinette had rubbed her eyes, looking down forlornly at her textbook. It had seemed like Gabriel’s arrest was all they were going to talk about, and Marinette had _known_ that Bustier wasn’t going to do _shit_ about it. 

Suddenly, Alya’s _fist_ had slammed down on the table in front of her.

“How _could you!_ Why would you say _those things_ to Adrien?! His dad was just _outed_ as a _terrorist_ . Now’s not the time to _brag!”_

Marinette had stared up at Alya, big grey eyes wide with _shock_.

“Alya, what are you talking about?” she had asked slowly. “I haven’t said anything to Adrien today.”

“Yes, you _did_ girl! Lila told me about all the things _you_ said to him before class! How could you be so _cruel_ to him? I thought you _liked_ him? How could you tell him that you _knew_ a villain like Hawkmoth could only be his dad because no _normal_ dad would raise such a _fucked up_ kid? How could you _rub_ your own loving family in his face?”

Marinette had felt _anger_ bubbling up, but her conditioning made her _shove_ it down. She _couldn’t_ be akumatized. She _couldn’t_ be akumatized. She had to _breathe_ . Marinette had taken several deep breaths before wondering _why_ she had allowed Alya to use the fox miraculous again. She had then remembered that she really hadn’t _had_ a choice. Alya had already known how to use the miraculous, and Marinette hadn’t wanted to waste any more time than she had to.

“I. Didn’t. Say. Anything. To. Him,” Marinette had repeated sternly, getting up from her desk. “I’m going to the nurse. I’m not feeling well.”

Marinette had gone to leave when she felt something slam into her back _hard._ She had stumbled down the stairs, smacking her _head_ hard against the desk. She had let out a whimper of pain, feeling something warm and sticky drip down the side of her face. She had heard Chloe _screaming_ , which had made her wince at the volume. She had also felt someone trying to help her up, talking to her softly.

“Marinette? Can you stand? I am 97% sure that you have a concussion. I’ll assist you in getting to the nurse.”

 _Max_.

Marinette had honestly been surprised. Max had _believed_ Lila for most of her time at school. What _changed_ ? Marinette certainly _hadn’t_ . She had continued to _stand up_ for herself when Lila lied about her. She had still _challenged_ Lila when she was afraid someone was going to get _hurt_. 

Max had helped her get to the nurse’s office. He’d sat her down before whispering, “Chat was you-know-who...it didn’t take much for me to figure out who _you_ were. I’m sorry I ever _believed_ Lila. I’ll understand if you don’t want to be my friend anymore.”

“...I...I…”

Max had given her a sad smile before responding, “Take your time, Marinette. We were _terrible_ to you. You _deserve_ to have people you can trust at your back. I hope one day I’ll be _worthy_ of your friendship again.”

He had left after that.

Max had _missed_ Marinette’s look of shock. He had _missed_ the tears in her eyes. He had _missed_ the second Marinette Dupain-Cheng _crumbled_ . He was the _only_ one who had offered her an apology who could remember what had happened. He was the _only one._ Why was Max the _only one_?

Marinette had stopped speaking after that.

Alya had _continued_ to torment her along with Lila and her lackies. Marinette just _sat_ there, despondent and distant. Things got _worse_ after Adrien _left_. 

His aunt had taken custody of him, and he had been forced to move to England to live with her and his cousin. The only reason Marinette knew he was leaving was because he'd come to return the _ring._ He told Marinette that as much as he loved Plagg, the miraculous was just a _painful_ reminder of what he'd lost. Both Marinette and Plagg had mourned that night. 

Once Lila’s meal ticket and object of affection was out of the way, she became _nastier_.

What Lila nor Alya could have predicted was that Marinette _did_ have people who loved her. Marinette _did_ have friends outside of Chloe, Nino and Nathanael. Marinette also had something that not many people remembered she had.

Marinette had a _big sister_.

And Nino was fully _prepared_ to unleash the full _wrath_ of one Maeve Dupain-Cheng.

———————————

Things _had_ been quiet in the Wayne household.

 _Had,_ being the key word.

Jason had been sitting on the couch with his girlfriend of four months, watching a movie. He had opted to not go on patrol tonight so he could hang out with her, seeing as they’d both been busy for the past few days. They were watching some shitty scifi movie, and the pair were having a ball cracking jokes about the movie. 

Tim, who had been feeling a little ill, was also watching from his perch on a separate chair. Ever since Tim lost his spleen, Bruce and Dick had been even more overprotective of Tim when he looked like he was getting sick. That meant he was benched for little things such as a cold or getting the flu.

Luckily for Tim, Maeve was a lot nicer to him than Jason was normally. She had been the one to advocate to Jason the reasons why Tim should stay with them. What Tim _didn’t_ know was the reason Jason allowed him to stay was that Maeve had pointed out that once Bruce was gone, Tim would try to sneak out and do work instead of rest. He hadn’t even realized she’d _made_ that point, as Maeve had waited until Tim was in the kitchen getting popcorn to bring it up to Jason.

It had been around midnight when Maeve had received the phone call. The white haired woman stood up, looking at the number with a confused expression. She kissed Jason on the cheek before taking the call. Jason had watched her leave, smiling happily at his girlfriend. It had been a calm, relaxing night (Tim had even fallen asleep), and it had been nice after a hard week of patrol to just decompress. He was smiling, slightly tired, but he didn’t want to fall asleep just yet. He wanted his girlfriend to come back so he could cuddle her while he slept.

Then he heard Maeve let out an _unholy_ shriek of _rage_.

Tim jumped up from his chair, stumbling about, looking at Jason in confusion and fear. _Alfred_ had even come bolting in with his _shotgun_ , demanding to know what was going _on_ . The three men looked at each other in shock until Maeve stormed back into the room, her purple eyes _blazing_.

“...Mae, pixy stick? What happened? Is something _wrong_ ?” Jason said, walking over to his _clearly_ enraged girlfriend.

“I’m going to Paris.”

“Pixy stick?”

“I’m going to Paris, Jason.”

“Miss Maeve—”

“Where does Damian keep his swords, Alfred? I’ll make it up to him later.”

Tim didn’t say anything. He just nodded before asking if she’d like them to go to Paris with her. He then suggested just borrowing some batarangs, as they were just as sharp and didn’t belong to _just_ Damian. The teen actually offered up his own batarangs, saying that he didn’t mind because clearly something _big_ had happened. 

“You can come, Tim. You’ll be good backup,” Maeve growled, moving to grab her coat.

“Pixy stick, what’s _going on_ ?” Jason asked, his voice strained with annoyance. “Can you _talk_ to me, please?”

“Some stupid little fucker put _their hands_ on my little sister, and now they have to _die_.”

Jason blinked once before saying, “I’ll call Bruce and let him know we’re going to Paris.”

He’d heard about Maeve’s little sister _plenty_ of times. Little Marinette Dupain-Cheng was the _light_ of her older sister’s life, her lifeline in the dark. Maeve had been fourteen when she’d been adopted by the Dupain-Chengs after living on the streets, and Marinette had latched onto her almost _immediately_ . Marinette had been _so excited_ to have a big sister that she’d helped her dad make cupcakes for Maeve’s arrival.

The pair had _bonded_ with one another over baking and a shared enjoyment of small animals. Maeve had protected Marinette from bullies, and Marinette had helped Maeve understand their customs and language. Marinette had always had a smile for Maeve. Marinette had always been a ray of warmth and goodness for Maeve, a girl who had seen _too much_.

And now someone had _hurt_ her.

Jason really couldn’t blame her. It was the same way he got when someone hurt one of his brothers. He'd actually gotten suspended once for breaking the nose of some asshole who was picking on Tim, citing that 'No one gets to bully my brothers, but me'. Dick had gotten him ice cream later, once Bruce had finished acting the disappointed father. 

Jason smiled slightly, feeling an odd sense of _pride_ well up in his chest. That was _his_ girlfriend. _His_ girlfriend was going to go strike _fear_ into the hearts of those who _dared_ to touch her sister. 

Paris was _never_ going to see her _coming._

—————————-

 _Nino_ , however, was awaiting her arrival with absolute _glee_ . Since Alya and Lila were new, neither girl had ever _met_ Marinette's older sister. Maeve wasn't wild about photos either, so there weren't a lot of photos with her in it. Marinette also didn't talk about her big sister often, so the terrible twosome were in for a real _shock_. 

Marinette had told him when they were younger that she was _almost_ certain that Maeve had been abused. The older girl _never_ talked about her previous family or where she'd come from. She only spoke of Sabine and Tom as her mom and dad. When people _tried_ to ask about her history, the white-haired girl had gotten very defensive and cold. It was part of the reason Marinette never spoke of her sister, aside with close friends.

People would _pry_ and _pry_ at Marinette, trying to get information about the mysterious sibling. Marinette valued her sister's privacy, and so, she stopped volunteering the fact she had an older sister. That way, no one would try and dig up information from her past.

Nino had once had the privilege of _meeting_ Maeve Dupain-Cheng. She was seven years older than them, had long white hair, and purple eyes that could look downright terrifying when she glared. She was kind, but had a temper that ran hot. Maeve loved her little sister, that much was clear, and she was prepared to _beat_ a bitch for her. 

She'd also texted Nino that she would be in Paris by 1pm.

With her _boyfriend_ , who looked like he could _break_ you from the picture Marinette showed him, and her boyfriend's _family._

Alya and Lila weren't getting out of this this time. Lila could cry all she wanted. Maeve Dupain-Cheng did _not_ tolerate liars, much like her little sister. Maeve also wasn't naïve enough to believe _anything_ that came out of Lila's mouth. She'd have her pegged by the _second_ internet search, and boy, if Lila even _tried_ to lie about Marinette to Maeve…

There would be _blood_.

He felt only _minutely_ bad about what would happen to Alya. The pair had broken up, thanks to Alya’s new bff, _Lila_ . She kept telling Alya that she could do _better_ than Nino. She told Alya that Nino was taking up too much of her time and getting in the way of her _career_ . Nino had argued against all those points, but Alya hadn’t _listened_ . Nino had ended up breaking off the relationship, _hurt_ by the fact Alya would sooner trust Lila than her own _boyfriend._ His lingering feelings for her made him feel slightly guilty about what was going to happen, but the petty part of him couldn’t _wait_ for them to get what was coming to them.

Nino was currently sitting in the courtyard with Marinette, Chloe, and Nathanael. Chloe was trying to get Marinette to _talk_ to her, but the girl was still responding solely in non-verbals. Nathanael was sketching something, content at the moment to leave Marinette be. He didn't believe forcing the issue was going to help anything, so he decided to show his solidarity by remaining quiet. Marinette seemed to be leaning into Nath, almost trying to _hide_ from Chloe.

Nino wasn’t paying much attention to the conversation, instead looking around the courtyard. He grimaced upon seeing his ex-girlfriend and Lila making their way towards the group. His grimace, however, would be soon replaced by an absolute _shit-eating_ grin. He spotted a head of white hair followed by a _pack_ of dark haired guys. Lila and Alya didn’t seem to notice that they were being followed, instead, they laser focused on Marinette.

Lila had already been working on her spiel when Alya stopped in front of her former best friend.

“MARINETTE! You need to apologize to Lila, right now! I can’t _believe_ you would destroy her notebook! All her important plans were in there! She was going to get us to _Gotham_ for a school trip! Her boyfriend lives there, and he’s super rich, so Lila was going to ask if his dad could fund it,” Alya snapped, glaring at the group. “What the fuck are _you_ smiling at, Nino!”

“Hey Mae, glad to see you’re back! I thought you lived in Gotham now?” Nino asked, looking _past_ Alya and Lila.

“I do. _However_ , I heard _someone_ was picking on my baby sister, and that won’t stand,” a strong, alto voice came across the courtyard. “Now, where’s Marinette?”

Nino watched as Marinette jumped up, looking behind Lila and Alya now. Her empty grey eyes seemed to light up a little bit, but she did not move. She eyed Lila and Alya anxiously, pressing close to Nath. The red head glared at Lila and Alya before looking at the white haired woman who had just appeared.

“Who are you? And how do you know Marinette?” he asked.

The white haired woman smiled, purple eyes glittering with poorly hidden _rage_. She was taller than Marinette, probably about five foot five, wearing dark jeans, combat boots, and a band tee-shirt. She had a leather jacket on and her arms were crossed tightly.

“My name’s Maeve Dupain-Cheng,” she responded. "Marinette's my little sister."

“Liar! Marinette doesn’t have any siblings!” Alya shouted. “I _was_ her best friend before she became a complete _bitch_ , and she _never_ mentioned a sister! Besides, you two look _nothing_ alike, so you _can’t_ be her sister.”

Maeve’s eyes darkened before she snarled, “You _best_ watch your fucking mouth before I knock your _teeth_ in. I’m adopted, you rude little _fuck_ . Mon étoile doesn’t talk about me because I _asked_ her not too.”

The woman stormed past the two girls who were _staring_ at her in shock. She opened up her arms, and much to several people’s surprise, Marinette _leapt_ into the woman’s arms. The dark haired girl clung to the other, crying quietly as the other woman held her tight. She rocked Marinette back and forth, shushing her and reassuring her that she was _there._

“Mon étoile, what’s _going on_ ? Why didn’t you _tell me_ this was going on?” Maeve asked, rubbing her little sister’s back.

Marinette said _nothing_ , and Maeve became even more _concerned._

“Mari’s gone silent, Mae. She won’t talk to _anybody_ ,” Nino growled, shooting a venomous glance at his ex.

Maeve’s body stiffened enough that Marinette looked up in _panic_ . The older sister gave her baby sister a comforting smile before releasing her from the hug. She turned back around to _glare_ at the two girls, who hadn’t moved. Both felt a shiver of fear go down their spines as the older girl’s gaze _bored_ into them.

“So, I’m going to take a stab in the dark and say _you_ little brats are to blame for _breaking_ mon étoile,” she hissed, cracking her knuckles. “What do _you_ have to say for yourself?”

“Your sister’s a _bully_ ! She was just jealous of Lila because Lila got along well with the class, and she liked Adrien too! Adrien didn’t want to date her, so she was angry and took it out on Lila! She’s stolen _loads_ of ideas from Lila. She is just envious of Lila’s life because Lila knows a bunch of famous people and is dating one!” Alya said, putting her hands on her hips.

“Mon étoile? My little Marinette, a bully? You’ve got to be _kidding_ me! Marinette wouldn’t _bully_ a soul! Who is this Adrien boy, anyway? Is he that blonde model you used to have a crush on when you were like thirteen? And what famous people does this little _bitch_ know?” Maeve laughed.

Marinette nodded, letting her sister know that her answer was yes.

“Pfft, you were over that little wimp once I pointed out how bad he was to you,” her sister said, rolling her eyes. “Lil’ Nette’s _way_ too original to have stolen anyhow.”

“She _did!_ Tell her Lila! Tell her how you were going to get us to Gotham with your connection to the Waynes!” Alya argued, looking at Lila.

Lila, who was getting more nervous the longer the woman looked at her, steeled her nerves and said, “Yeah! I know Damian Wayne! If you don’t back off, I’ll get my sweet Damiboo to deal with you!”

 _That_ sent Maeve into _hysterical_ laughter.

Tears dripped down the woman’s face as she held her sides. She was desperately gasping for air as she laughed at the two girls. Were they really this stupid? Was this why Marinette was getting bullied? Was her baby sister getting bullied because her classmates were idiots who couldn’t do simple research?

“What’s so _funny_ !” the Italian huffed. “Stop laughing at _me_!”

Maeve wiped away her tears before turning back to Marinette.

“Hey, I know this is a little early, but there’s someone I want you to meet. C’mere, Jase.”

A _very_ tall man pushed past the two brunettes to stand next to Maeve. He had sharp green eyes and pitch black hair. He was very handsome, and he was smiling at them. Maeve hugged Marnette before saying, “Mon étoile, this is my boyfriend, Jason Todd-Wayne. Jase, this is—”

“Marinette, your little star,” he finished for her, holding out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Cakepop. Your sister talks about you all the time.”

Marinette’s face flushed, but she _did_ shake Jason’s hand. Chloe and Nath now had _shit-eating_ grins of their own, and the three were looking at Jason intently. Chloe decided to be the one to break the ice, going in for the kill.

“Oh my God! Jason Todd-Wayne as in the second adopted son of Bruce Wayne of Wayne Enterprises?” Chloe faux gasped.

“Big bro to one Damian Wayne?” Nino added with a grin.

“So is it true that Lila’s dating him, Mr. Jason?” Nath finished.

“Absolutely _not_ . Which one of these little brats _is_ Lila anyway? I’ve _never_ met her before, so I wouldn’t fuckin’ know. Timbo— hey Baby Bat! Where’d Dickie and Timbo go?” Jason asked, realizing two of his brothers were gone.

A handsome young teen with deep green eyes glared at Jason before replying, “Grayson and Drake went to confront Damocles and Bustier while we wait for Maeve’s parents to get here. Drake already has all the paperwork, and the two girls’ parents have been called. By the way, according to Drake’s description, Lila is the one with sausages on her head.”

Alya looked _horrified_ before asking _whose_ parents had been called.

“Yours, Cesaire and Rossi’s. You’ve both been found to be quite the pair of liars as well as breaking several harassment laws. Your school has cameras. You were caught on film. You’re not getting out of this because Marinette’s parents can’t afford to hire lawyers to defend them. We’re supplying them. You lose, suck it up,” the teen said coldly. “Can we gather them up and leave? I believe Alfred is waiting for us back at the bakery with tea and cookies, and Marinette looks tired.”

“Good idea, Dames,” Jason said, shooting the two _panicked_ looking girls a glare. “Don’t always believe everything you read or hear, Glasses. Let’s go Mae and the baby gang!”

As they walked out of the court yard, Marinette cracked her first real smile in _weeks_ as she heard Lila and Alya’s mothers _scream_ their names.


	22. Day 22: Rare Pair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Sorry this is late. Due to the situation with the world, things have changed for me at work, and it's been stressful. I promise I'll try to do my best to get things up.
> 
> I can't recall who at the moment, but someone came into my comments and asked if Tim's soulmate would be Luka on another one of my writings. It got me thinking, and here's the end result!
> 
> Tika? Luim? I dunno, it's Tim x Luka though!

They were an odd pair.

He was a guitarist with a laid back personality and piercings. His black hair had aqua dyed tips that matched his eyes. He wore ripped up jeans and band shirts with canvas sneakers. He was empathetic, kind and generous, even towards strangers. It was his good nature that brought them together. He lived with his mother and sister on a houseboat. His sister and mother were constant presences in his life. They weren’t well off, but they weren’t poor either.

His partner had medium length black hair that was not colored in any manner. His eyes were a cornflower blue that in the right light looked unearthly. He looked permanently exhausted and barely slept. His friends would say that he was anxious, timid, and more suspicious of strangers. He was the CEO of a multi-million dollar company. He had grown up rich, but his parents were always absent. He had no biological siblings, but he did have four adopted ones.

They were two  _ extraordinarily  _ different people, Luka Couffaine and Timothy Drake.

Normally these two people would never cross paths, but every day Tim was thankful Luka had stumbled across him. He’d been in France with Bruce for business when they’d had a huge argument over their extracurriculars. Tim had stormed off, tears streaming down his face. He’d spent the next few hours wandering about the Seine, fighting back his feelings. He finally had plopped himself down next to the river, trying to calm himself down. He had known the villain here fed off the negative emotions of others and made his akumas that way (or at least that’s what Tim thought? Bruce really had sprung everything on Tim, so he wasn’t as sure as he liked to be.)

Why hadn’t Bruce told him before? Why couldn’t Bruce have just been honest with him? Why couldn’t he ever just appreciate Tim’s help! Tim had been through  _ hell _ trying to get Bruce back! Dick and the others had thought he was  _ crazy _ . He had nearly  _ gone _ crazy! He’d been so isolated and  _ alone _ . The least Bruce could have done was  _ thank _ Tim for all the hard work he’d put in to make sure Bruce could get back  _ and _ to keep Wayne Enterprises afloat.

The dark haired teen had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t noticed another boy approaching. The teen had approached him quickly, asking how he could help. Tim’s head had shot up in surprise, locking eyes with him. He remembered how his breath caught in his chest and his mind went  _ blank _ . 

Staring at him were the warmest eyes Tim had seen in quite some time. He’d noted the other boy was about his age, and he was  _ smiling _ in a slightly worried way… hauntingly similar to the way Dick used to smile at him. A smile that held warmth, concern, and  _ compassion _ . He had held out his hand. Tim had noted he was wearing ripped jeans, a Jagged Stone tee, a black hoodie and a denim jacket. On his back there had been a guitar that appeared to be well loved.

“Hey, are you okay?” he had asked. “I’m Luka.”

Tim had wiped the tears from his eyes before croaking, “Tim.”

“So, Tim, what brings you to the Seine?” Luka had asked, dropping his hand.

He hadn’t appeared to be annoyed with Tim for not taking his hand. Instead, Luka had plopped down next to him. He had adjusted his guitar so that it rested in his lap, and he had begun to absent-mindedly pluck at the strings. His gaze had still been on Tim, making the American boy feel slightly nervous. He had looked incredulously at Luka until the other boy gave a chuckle.

“Look, I know I’m an absolute stranger, but it’s not  _ good  _ for you to bottle all that stuff up. You’re aware of the current situation in Paris, yes? You need to  _ deal  _ with the feelings or else they’ll just  _ explode _ . I’d rather Ladybug and Chat Noir not need to fight  _ another  _ tourist. Some countries don’t  _ like  _ that very much,” Luka had said softly. “Besides, I’ve been told I’m an  _ excellent _ listener.”

“By  _ who _ ?” Tim had grumbled.

“My sister, my mom, my friends,” the other had responded with a shrug. “Plus, I can hear your song...and it’s really  _ discordant _ . Something’s tearing you up inside...I can just  _ tell _ .”

Tim had froze, wondering perhaps if this boy was a  _ meta _ . It sounded ridiculous, but considering Tim knew a handful of  _ goddamn _ aliens and a Lord of Order, he hadn’t been ready to rule anything out. He had continued to stare at Luka, as if he were dazed...and he had been slightly. People in Gotham didn’t  _ offer _ assistance to random people they found in the street...at least not alone. Wasn’t this kid afraid of being mugged or stabbed?

He had watched as Luka began playing a  _ horrid _ sound on his guitar. There had been a hidden melody to it, but it was hidden under loud, out of place notes, most of which were high-pitched. Tim had blinked twice before requesting Luka  _ stop  _ playing.

“Going to tell me what’s wrong then? Because that horrible noise was  _ your _ song. You’re really hurting.”

“Fine! I had an argument with my adopted father, okay! He doesn’t...he probably wishes he’d brought one of the  _ others _ with him.”

“Wouldn’t know about dads since mine walked out and never came back, but I know fighting with my mom really upsets me. Others? You have siblings too?”

“ _ Adopted _ ...my birth parents weren’t around a lot. There’s Dick, Jason, then me, Cassandra, and Damian. I don’t mind Cass so much...but my brothers…”

“I’m sorry to hear that. You feel like your adopted dad prefers the others?”

“Well Damian  _ is _ his biological son...and then Jason almost  _ died _ in an accident...and Dick’s just a better  _ person—” _

“How do you figure that?”

Tim had hesitated before asking what Luka meant. Luka then had softly asked Tim how he knew Dick was a better person than he was. He had continued, saying that for all his brothers’ skills, they had  _ flaws  _ too. Just because Tim wasn’t like Dick, Jason or Damian didn’t mean he was any  _ lesser _ . That just meant he was himself with talents and skills of  _ his own _ .

“I bet there are  _ loads _ of things you’re really good at that your brothers’  _ aren’t _ . My baby sister Juleka is  _ really _ shy and timid, but she’s also not afraid to stand up for what’s right. Jules is also  _ wicked _ clever, but you’d never see it coming with how quiet she is. People forget she’s there, so Jules can soak up everything that’s going on. I’m not great at that. I’m smart, but I think Jules is more clever than I am. She’s also super awesome at putting on makeup, and I certainly can’t do that. I’m also more outgoing than Jules is, so I make friends easier. We all have our strengths and weaknesses.”

Tim had blinked at Luka in surprise and shock. Why was he telling  _ Tim _ about his little sister? Tim had still been a  _ stranger _ ! It had seemed like a lot more details than  _ he _ would ever share about his siblings. Then again, his family was  _ anything _ but normal...so maybe this is what normal people did?

“Hey, would you like some coffee? Maybe some sweets? I know a  _ great _ bakery,” Luka had said with a grin. 

If one asked him today why he said yes, Tim would never be able to tell you why. Maybe it was the way he  _ smiled _ , something vaguely familiar and warm. Maybe it was because he was being  _ honest _ with Tim. Maybe Tim had been so goddamn  _ lonely _ that he’d take anybody’s company, even a  _ stranger’s _ .

He was glad he did though.

Through Luka he’d met a favorite small name designer of his— Marinette Dupain-Cheng— or as she was better known, MDC. He’d met her parents, Tom and Sabine, who were as  _ warm _ and  _ welcoming  _ as their daughter had been. He’d met so many  _ warm _ and  _ kind _ people through Luka, and that was something Tim believed he’d never be able to repay him for.

“Whatcha thinkin’ about in that head of yours?”

Tim looked up at his boyfriend, who was looking at him affectionately.

“Your song sounded a little melancholy, but then you perked up. So, what were you thinking about?” Luka asked, gently playing with Tim’s hair. “If it’s work, the answer is no.”

Tim pouted before saying, “But I like work! And I’m not even  _ sick _ ! Bruce is just over-reacting.”

“Beanie baby, that gash in your side looked like it was getting  _ infected _ .”

“Yeah,  _ looked!  _ Doesn’t mean it  _ is _ !”

“Tim, you don’t have a  _ spleen _ . That means it’s  _ probably  _ infected which means you  _ are _ going to get sick.”

“You’re no fun.”

Luka smiled mischievously at the other boy before copying his pout.

“Oooooh noooo! I’m Tim Drake, and I don’t take care of myself so the injuries I get while running around in a bird suit make me sick! Now I have to lay here in my boyfriend’s lap and get all of his cuddles and attention! I think I’m going to  _ die! _ ”

Tim grimaced at him before saying, “I  _ do not _ sound like that! And excuse me, but not everyone has a magic suit that helps protect them from getting hurt, now do they?”

“Yes, you  _ do _ ...and fair point, I’ll give you that.”

“Where is Sass, by the way?”

“Probably getting eggs from Alfred.”

Before Tim could wiggle away, Luka readjusted his hold on Tim so they could lay down on the bed. The black and teal haired boy was careful not to disturb the injury on Tim’s left side as he moved him. Once they were situated, Luka grabbed his phone and pulled up his streaming service.

“So, what movie do you want to watch first?” Luka asked with the smile that made Tim’s heart stop the moment he met him.

“....Tangled…”

Luka found the movie and pressed a kiss to Tim’s forehead. As Tim layed next to the other teen, he found himself at  _ peace _ . He found himself  _ calm _ and  _ relaxed _ . He smiled before further snuggling into his boyfriend’s side.

Yes, Luka Couffaine and Timothy Drake were two  _ extraordinarily  _ different people.

But Tim wouldn’t change it for the  _ world _ .


	23. Day 23: Soulmates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another Tim x Luka piece. I have no excuses other they were in my thoughts.

Luka never told his mother about his soulmate.

He didn’t want to worry her.

The black and teal haired boy was already _plenty_ worried about his soulmate. Having his mother get worked up as well _wasn’t_ going to help anything. _Especially_ because there wasn’t anything he could do. He didn’t know his soulmate’s full name. The only thing he knew was his soulmate spoke English and was probably American based on the time difference. Luka would sometimes lay awake just to listen to his soulmate, but his soulmate also stayed up _way_ later than Luka liked. 

As soon as he met him, Luka was going to make his soulmate take a _fucking nap_ because he shouldn’t be hearing him at all hours! It had only gotten _worse_ as they had grown older, and now at seventeen years old, Luka was ready to _shank_ multiple people he only had first names for.

He had been ten when he first heard his soulmate’s thoughts in his head.

**It’s storming...I want my mommy.**

**Why didn’t they take me with them?**

**Why do mommy and daddy leave all the time?**

**Don’t they love me?**

His soulmate had sounded so _sad_.

Luka grew to _despise_ his soulmate’s parents as he heard the thoughts of loneliness and regret. They had seemed to _never_ have time for their son. Sure, they may have _loved_ Tim, but they certainly had a shitty way of _showing_ it. Ankara may like to play things loose and fast, but at least Luka never _questioned_ that his mother loved him and Juleka more than anything else.

He had tried reaching out to his soulmate, only to be _blocked_.

**No, no, no, no, no!**

**I can’t talk to you!**

**I can’t have a male soulmate!**

**I-I-I’m sorry!**

That had _hurt_. 

Luka had been very upset after that, crying until his sister calmed him down. Juleka had known that he _had_ a soulmate, and she had known it was another boy. Juleka had never told their mom about Luka’s soulmate because she’d thought it was something Luka should tell her. In a moment of solidarity, Juleka had admitted to Luka that her soulmate was a _girl_. The two siblings had hugged each other tightly, supporting one another in silence.

His soulmate’s thoughts had still leaked into his head...and Luka’s more than likely had leaked into his too. There wasn’t anyway to _shut_ the bond off, so both boys had been stuck with having to hear one another. The longer Luka really _listened_ to his soulmate’s thoughts, the more _horrified_ he’d become. His soulmate had been _going through_ the _shit_. Luka had remained quiet though, remembering that his soulmate hadn’t responded to his other attempts at contact.

Then one day, when Luka was thirteen, the voice in his head had _spoken_ to him.

**Hi.**

The voice had been hesitant and _exhausted_ . Luka had been surprised to hear _his_ voice in his head. The other boy had always _been_ there, but he’d never _spoken_ directly to Luka since that day.

**Hi.**

Luka had tried not to get his hopes up, biting his lip. He had really hoped this would _work_ . He had really hoped his soulmate didn’t _hate_ him. Now his soulmate was _talking_ to him, and the other boy had _initiated it!_

**I’m sorry...for what I said when I was younger. I— I had some incorrect ideas. My name’s Tim.**

**Hi, Tim. My name’s Luka.**

Tim, huh?

Luka hadn’t pretended that those words hadn’t hurt him, but as Ankara had explained when Juleka brought Rose home for the first time, not all people were accepting of same sex couples. She had warned the girls to be careful with who they shared their relationship with. Ankara had not wanted her daughter or little Rose to get bullied or hurt because of people like that. 

Luka had wondered if Tim’s family had been like that.

 _Something_ had changed that day. Tim had begun talking to him more and more. Tim had told him his _secrets_ . Tim had shared his _grief_ . Tim had shared _himself_ with Luka, including all the little insecurities.

Luka _really_ wanted to get the people who made Tim feel like he was less than _nothing_ . He told Tim they were _idiots_ who didn’t understand because Luka _loved_ Tim. Luka _adored_ the kind soul that the other boy possessed. He _admired_ his desire to help others, putting _himself_ at risk to keep the peace. He _saw_ the sharp, brilliant, cunning mind of a boy who _loved_ with all his heart, but felt extremely _inadequate_.

He had made sure to remind Tim every time the other boy talked negatively about himself. Luka would admit that it had been _slow_ , but some progress had been made. Tim made _significantly_ less self-deprecating jokes. The amount of depressive thoughts had _also_ lessened, much to Luka’s relief. Luka tried to push as much on the bond as he could, trying to _make_ Tim understand how much the French boy _loved_ him, despite having never _met_ him.

Luka couldn’t _wait_ to turn eighteen.

He was _positive_ his mother wouldn’t have minded if Luka took off to find his soulmate, however, the _law_ did care. Luke hadn’t wanted to drag his mother on a wild chase across the United States to find his soulmate, and then he’d become Viperion. Paris, Ladybug, and his family _needed_ him, so Luka had stayed.

Once he turned eighteen though, he’d ask Ladybug if he could have some time off. Hopefully, he will have coaxed the location of his soulmate out of him by then. The law wouldn’t be able to _stop_ him from leaving the continent then, and his sister had become much more self-sufficient, so he didn’t need to worry about her.

But that was still several months off.

Today he was with Marinette. They were hanging out in the park, waiting for Chloe and Kagami. Marinette had wanted their help with some new designs, and the trio had readily agreed to help. They all _adored_ Marinette. She was a sweetheart, and Luka _still_ couldn’t understand how her class could have fallen for such _lies_ about her.

He was even _angrier_ at Juleka for doing _nothing_ to help Marinette.

The black and teal haired boy had been watching Marinette sketch a new design when he heard his soulmate.

“Dick, I swear to GOD!”

But the voice wasn’t in his _head_.

Luka had shot up like a rocket, his head swivelling to where he heard the voice coming from. He spotted two figures standing right outside Marinette’s family’s patisserie. The taller of the two boys was certainly _handsome._ He had black hair, bright blue eyes, and a wide grin that was full of affection for the slightly smaller boy. He was well built and was wearing a tee-shirt and jeans.

The other boy was _gorgeous_.

He had shaggy black hair that looked surprisingly _soft_ . He was paler than the other, and he had _dark_ bags under his eyes. Eyes that were the softest shade of dull blue Luka had ever recalled. He had a nice jawline, even if he looked slightly softer than the other man. He too was muscular, but in a different way...kind of how Marinette was. A lithe figure, but one that was clearly prepared for a fight.

Luka felt his heart almost stop as his soulmate’s irritated thoughts drift into his head.

**Seriously? Why did Bruce have to send me to France with Dick of all people? Even Damian would have been more bearable. He’s not going to let me out of his sight.**

**You’re in France?**

He watched his soulmate jump, probably surprised at the intense way Luka had responded. 

**Yeah? Why?**

**You just walked out of Tom and Sabine’s Patisserie, yes?**

**How did you—**

“TIM!” Luka shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth.

The shorter of the pair turned, eyes _wide_ . His mouth had dropped open in shock, and the man next to him looked _startled._ The man had begun to push Tim behind him before the other began to complain.

“Knock it off, Dickhead! Luka! Luka, is that you?”

Marinette blinked a few times before a wide grin broke out on her face. The tiny girl let out a _squeal_ that brought all three men’s attention to her. The black haired girl grabbed Luka’s hand and began dragging him towards the man and Tim.

“You must be Luka’s soulmate!” she said happily. “It’s so nice to finally meet you! Luka’s talked a lot about you!”

“No, Marinette. You are not allowed to ask him for the _abomination_ he used to stay awake for a week so he could take his finals,” Luka said sternly. “Don’t pretend I don’t know this is about coffee.”

Marinette crossed her arms, pouting slightly. Luka rolled his eyes at his best friend before turning his attention back to Tim. He smiled gently before rubbing the back of his head.

“Hi?” he said, slightly uncertain. “I’m Luka Couffaine. I’m sure I’m not what you were expecting, but it’s really nice to meet you Tim.”

It took the gorgeous boy a few moments, those blue eyes fixed on him so intently. Once the shock seemed to have passed, the boy smiled at Luka. Luka felt his heart _revolt_ , wanting to beat out of the ribs that caged it. God, he was _beautiful_ when he smiled. Luka wanted to see it _more_.

“Hi, Luka. My name’s Tim Drake. You’re actually pretty close to how I pictured you,” he said.

“How’s that?”

“Gentle...warm...you look like you’re a kind person.”

Luka blushed, and the other man _finally_ broke out of his stupor.

“HOLY SHIT! IS THIS REALLY YOUR SOULMATE, TIMMY?!” he shouted. “I _never_ thought I’d _see_ the day! Holy shit, I’ve gotta call Alfred! Timmy’s got a soulmate, and he’s cute! Take that Jason, I knew your soulmate would be cute Timmy!”

“DICK, SHUT UP!” Tim screamed, his face turning bright red.

Luka began to laugh at his soulmate’s embarrassed thoughts. Once he’d finished having a small laugh, he pulled Tim into a tight hug. The other quickly buried his reddening face into Luka’s shoulder, not wanting to _look_ at the other man.

**Hey, do you wanna ditch him and meet my friends, Tim?**

**Oh, God please. My older brother’s embarrassing!**

Luka smiled, scooping Tim up into his arms.

“C’mon, Mari! Let’s play keep away as in let’s keep Tim away from him!”

Marinette smiled mischievously and took off, Luka following at her heels.The pair began laughing as the man finally noticed the three were running off. Tim held on tightly to Luka as they ran through the streets, losing Dick at hidden turns and corners. He could hear his older brother yelling at them that this wasn’t a very nice game to be playing with him.

Tim would later look back on the experience as the most fun he’d had in a long time.

  
Even if Bruce _did_ scold him for running off.


	24. Day 24: Coffee shop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another Tim x Luka because apparently I be like that today.

Tim was  _ only _ going into the coffee shop to get coffee.

He  _ swore _ to God.

It definitely had  _ nothing _ to do with the cute barista.

Nope,  _ not  _ at all!

The black and teal haired boy at the counter was just like  _ any  _ other barista! He didn’t even  _ know  _ the other boy’s name! He just liked the way the boy made his coffee,  _ okay _ ? There was  _ nothing _ else going on!

His brothers called  _ bullshit _ , and unfortunately, so did the  _ other _ barista.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was the owner of a little coffee shop with her sister Maeve. It was called  **Wishful Charms** , and they had some of the  _ best _ coffee Tim had ever had. Maeve and Marinette swapped days and also came in when they needed staff. Tim had made fast friends with Marinette, both of them having an  _ insatiable  _ need for caffeine and family members that told them to  _ stop _ drinking so much  _ coffee _ .

Of course,  _ Marinette _ had been the first to figure his crush out.

“You like Luka, don’t you?” she had asked one say while wiping down a table near his.

Tim had nearly fallen out of his seat in  _ shock _ . He hadn’t thought he was being  _ that _ obvious! Marinette reassured him that he hadn’t, but that she knew the  _ signs _ . She pointed out how Tim always seemed to be really giddy and smiley after talking to Luka. She noted how Tim always seemed to just  _ melt _ around Luka, relaxing in ways that he didn’t with other people. 

“It’s a  _ good _ thing, Tim,” she’d said softly. “You seem so lonely. Luka’s a really great guy. I’m sure you two would be good together. Why don’t you ask him out?”

“With what social skills?” he’d answered miserably, hiding his face in his arms.

“Oh Tim, I don’t think he’ll care much about that,” Marinette had sighed. “He thinks you’re cute too, fyi.”

Tim hadn’t  _ believed  _ Marinette. He hadn’t wanted to put that much  _ hope  _ into this crush. He’d never had much luck in the love department. The string of girlfriends and his relationship with Kon had  _ soured  _ his opinion of romance harshly. He had decided that perhaps  _ he  _ was better off  _ alone _ , without someone to love. 

Of course, Marinette had nearly  _ throttled _ him when he brought all that up. 

“Everyone needs love, Tim!” she had snapped. “ _ YOU _ deserve it too! Don’t for a  _ goddamn _ minute that you don’t. Now, go  _ ask him out! _ ” 

Tim  _ hadn’t _ .

He had even  _ avoided _ the coffee shop for a few  _ weeks _ , hoping that Marinette would calm down and let it  _ go. _ He was anxious going back in, but his anxiety seemed to diminish when he saw it was  _ Maeve _ working with Luka today. 

The white haired woman was  _ very _ content to stay out of people’s  _ personal _ lives. She had simply shrugged at Tim several times, telling Tim to either  _ ask  _ or  _ stop pining _ . She never pushed the topic further, declaring that it was  _ Tim’s _ life. She would mention that she thought he was  _ wasting  _ a good chance, but left it alone after that.

Luka had grinned brightly, making Tim’s stomach do flips when he saw him.

“Hey, Tim! I was worried about you?”

That made Tim feel even more uncomfortably warm.

“O-O-Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, you haven’t been around in a few weeks. Busy?”

“Yeah...something like that.”

“As long as you’re doing okay! Here’s your order! I hope I’ll see you back later, Tim.”

And with that, the interaction ended.

Tim was deeply sad and agitated that he, once again, had not said anything to the cute barista. He sighed deeply before looking down at the coffee in his hands. He nearly dropped the cup in shock as he realized there was  _ writing _ on his cup.

More specifically Luka’s phone number.

...fuck, he owed Marinette twenty bucks.


	25. 25: Roomates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi, so these might be a little late.
> 
> Long story short, my city's now under stay at home orders, and it's really affecting my mental health. I'll try to keep pushing on, but things might be released a lot slower. 
> 
> Warnings for this chapter: Mentions of hot and heavy kissing, nothing too explicit.
> 
> Marinette loves having her sister for a roommate.
> 
> Until she doesn't.

Marinette  _ loved _ having an older sister.

She had been seven years old when her mother brought in a girl with pretty snow white hair and purple eyes. Marinette had thought she looked like a princess! She had been wearing a red tutu dress, black tights, and black flats. She’d had a shy look on her face and had nearly hidden behind Sabine. Her maman had looked between the two girls before introducing them.

Marinette and her papa had given the girl the plate of macarons they’d made just for her. Her purple eyes had widened looking at the plate before asking, “Is this for me?”

“Yes, Maeve. Marinette and Tom spent all yesterday making you macarons! Marinette, this is your new sister, Maeve. Maeve, this is Marinette,” Sabine had told her quietly with a gentle smile.

Maeve had taken the treats and began to eat them shyly. After a few treats, Maeve had come out from behind Sabine’s legs. She’d smiled at them, and a few days later, Maeve had hugged Marinette for the first time. They had become close over the years despite Maeve being seven years older than Marinette.

They had begun doing craft projects together, and Marinette had taught Maeve how to sew. In return, Maeve watched over Marinette, sorting out any bullies. For someone who could be very quiet and sweet, Maeve had been (and continued to be) a very  _ frightening _ person when someone threatened or made Marinette cry. The older girl had been very aggressive when she believed Marinette had been hurt, and only Marinette could get her to calm down.

Tom and Sabine had been worried about her fits of aggression, but people around them had quickly learned that if no one messed with Marinette, Maeve would be nice. She had mellowed out as she aged, but the number one way to get in Maeve Dupain-Cheng’s shit list remained to be messing with Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She had made sure that  _ everyone _ knew that too.

When Marinette was eleven, Maeve had moved to Gotham to attend university. She’d gotten a large scholarship to attend business school. Maeve had wanted to go abroad to improve her English so she could one day  _ expand _ the family business. Marinette had been  _ devastated _ , but Maeve had promised to call every day. Marinette had missed Maeve very much, but the two sisters made it work out. The pair had not grown apart with Maeve making frequent phone calls to her baby sister. Maeve had come to visit when she had the money too which definitely helped the girls’ bond.

When Marinette turned eighteen (and after she had defeated Hawkmoth), she too had decided to attend university in Gotham as well. Tom and Sabine were sad to see their other daughter go, but were reassured once their eldest promised that she was going to be living with her. Maeve had finished her undergrad, but was in the process of completing her master’s degree in business.

Marinette had been excited to hang out with Maeve, and the two sisters were happy to be reunited. Marinette had  _ loved _ attending school in Gotham, even if she felt slightly anxious at times. She had enjoyed her classes and made several friends, including one particular young man. She’d had a general history class with him, and they had been paired up for a partner project.

Damian Wayne had not been someone Marinette expected to get close to, but somehow, the pair had ended up clicking. Sure, Damian had been standoffish and socially rude at first, but Marinette had managed to break down his walls bit by bit. She proved herself to this stubborn man and had gained his respect by proving she was neither incompetent or stupid. They had become good friends by the end of their class, and Damian had invited Marinette to join a study group with him. The pair continued to be study buddies, even when they didn’t share the same classes, helping each other with subjects and with project ideas.

Today, Damian and Marinette were heading to her apartment so Damian could help Marinette with her statistics homework. They were  _ supposed _ to have done it at the manor, but Tim’s friends had decided to invade the manor for the day. It had been too noisy, and Damian had been about ready to  _ murder _ Bart, so Marinette had suggested heading back to her place.

The walk over had been fine as it was a relatively warm day in Gotham. Damian had apologized to Marinette about his brother’s friends, but Marinette just laughed.

“It’s fine, Dami. Your brother’s gotta have a life too!”

“Yes, but he could stand to do so more  _ quietly _ .”

They playfully bickered about it until they reached Marinette’s apartment door.

Neither had been prepared for when they opened the door…

“WHAT THE FUCKING HELL TODD?! WHY WOULD YOU TO THIS OUT IN THE OPEN?” Damian screamed.

“...oh my God, I’m never going to unsee this,” Marinette whimpered.

Sitting on their couch, partially  _ undressed, _ was Damian’s  _ brother _ Jason and  _ Maeve _ . Jason was shirtless, and he had Maeve perched on his lap. Maeve herself was only wearing a tanktop and  _ very _ short shorts. They had been  _ making out _ ...quite  _ passionately _ at that. Maeve had jumped a bit, pulling back from Jason, but he  _ still _ had one hand up the white haired woman’s tank top.

Maeve looked  _ mortified _ while Jason just looked annoyed. He glared back at Damian before demanding to know why they were  _ here _ instead of at the manor. Damian had scoffed at his brother before snapping, “Our apologies for interrupting your opportunity to get  _ laid _ , but Marinette has a stats test on Friday. We couldn’t study at the manor because Tim’s friends are  _ imbeciles _ and wouldn’t leave us alone.”

“Well, could you get out of here?”

“JASON!”

“Mae, they’re fine.”

“I beg to differ,” Damian grimaced. “I think I’ll pull out a dagger to relieve me of my sight now.”

“Pass the brain bleach,” Marinette said in a monotone. “I need to scrub this from my mind.”

Maeve scrambled away from Jason before  _ furiously  _ apologizing to Marinette. She told the younger woman she wouldn’t have invited Jason over if she knew they were coming back here to study. Marinette simply shook her head numbly before saying, “I— I think I’m just going to go to my room to process this. Dami?”

“Right behind you.”

The pair darted as quickly as they could into Marinette’s room, slamming the door behind them. Maeve could hear muffled screaming from her sister, and Damian’s attempts to calm her down. She rubbed her face, wondering how things got so weird when Jason simply yanked her back down onto the couch.

“So, we’re gonna continue right?”

“JASON!”


	26. Day 26: Fake Dating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry again for the late update. Quarantine is hitting me and my family hard, so please be patient with me as I try to bring you the quality writing you deserve. 
> 
> Adrien needs to get away from Lila.
> 
> He may have found an out. 
> 
> Big shout out to Gen for helping me come up with a groupchat name.

The panic was overtaking him, and he needed a fast way out  _ now _ .

The blond haired boy was looking around him in an anxious tizzy. He needed to find  _ someone _ to help him, and he needed it  _ now. _ He couldn’t let the monster catch up to him. If he didn’t find some way to pull his  _ lie _ together, then he was going to be in a  _ world _ of hurt. He couldn’t let  _ her  _ get her claws into him. He couldn’t let  _ her  _ get to him first. He couldn’t let  _ her  _ con him into anything. 

His green eyes spotted a dark haired woman standing by the exit with a boy with hair as dark as hers. She was smiling at the boy and ruffling his hair. He recognized her almost immediately as one Lois Lane-Kent Lois had always been very kind and polite to him when she was doing her interviews with him and his father over the years, so he made a beeline for her. The boy next to her must have been her son, as his father had talked to Mrs. Lane-Kent about him a few times, and he looked to be about Adrien’s age. She had been so nice, so perhaps her son would be just as nice?

“Hi, Mrs. Lane-Kent, is this your son?” he asked, tension in his voice.

“Hello, Adrien,” the dark haired woman said. “Yes, this is my son, Jonathan. Jon, this is Adrien Agreste. I just interviewed him and his father.”

“Can I ask a favor?” he said quietly. “I need help. Jon, could you be my date to the Wayne Gala at the end of the week?”

Both Americans seemed to be confused, but before Adrien could explain, he felt sharp nails digging into his arm. The blond fought the urge to wince as he slowly turned around, an anxious smile on his face. He was met with displeased olive green eyes and a venomous smile.

“Adriboo, why’d you run away from me? I was just talking to a few people about the Wayne Gala, and they said you  _ already _ had a date. When I told them that was me, they said it was a  _ boy _ . Your  _ soulmate boyfriend _ to be exact. Now, why would you  _ lie _ to the nice people, Adriboo?” she asked, her voice sickly sweet. “Everyone knows you don’t  _ have _ a soulmate, so  _ why  _ would you lie?”

Adrien could feel the panic coming back in  _ droves _ . She’d  _ caught _ him. She’d know he  _ lied _ . She’d tell his  _ father _ . She’d tell the  _ other _ people he’d been lying! No one would  _ ever _ believe him again! He would be in  _ so much trouble _ . It would look terrible for the brand! His father would probably lock him up in his room for the rest of his—

“Sunshine, I thought you didn’t want to tell anyone yet?” a relaxed, slightly concerned, voice came. “I thought we were going to wait for the gala to let everyone know?”

He felt the pain leave his arm and realized that Jon had  _ removed _ Lila’s hand from his person. The American boy slung one arm around his waist and pulled him close. He had an easy-going smile on his face, but Adrien could tell that there was  _ fury _ in those beautiful blue eyes...even if there  _ were _ glasses in front of them. Adrien could have  _ cried _ from relief, feeling his body relax against the other boy.

“Excuse you! This is a private conversation between me and Adriboo.”

“It’s not private if it’s in the middle of the lobby, now is it? Besides, I want to know what makes you think you can just grab my boyfriend like that?”

Lila looked like she’d been  _ struck _ .

“There’s no way you’re his boyfriend! Gabriel doesn’t know about you!” she snapped.

“Maybe because we wanted to keep our relationship private,” Jon shrugged, moving Adrien to stand behind him. “Adrien wasn’t sure about things, and I wanted him to be comfortable. Isn’t that right, Sunshine?”

Adrien nodded vigorously, subconsciously moving to grab onto Jon’s shirt for safety. He had known that Mrs. Lane-Kent would protect him if he found her. She always did. When his father told him he couldn’t eat because of an interview with her, the dark haired reporter would sneak him snacks and other things. She’d threatened to call child services a few times as well, and Adrien was surprised that his father still spoke to Mrs. Lane-Kent.

Then again, the woman had won the Pulitzer Prize for investigative journalism. She was widely known in her field and clearly talented. Anything Lois Lane-Kent touched was guaranteed to get a large population’s attention. The public loved her, and so his father had been  _ forced _ to play nice with her...just as he’d been  _ forced _ to play nice with Audrey Bourgeois.

Jon had that same... _ energy _ around him that his mother did. Lois Lane-Kent took no shit, and it was clear her  _ son _ didn’t either. It was also abundantly clear that Jon  _ had _ a heart of his own and not one in a box like Lila. The fact that Jon had  _ stepped in _ — without even  _ knowing  _ Adrien— to protect him meant more than he would  _ ever _ be able to express. 

“You’re not  _ gay _ , Adrien,” Lila said definitively. “You’ve  _ never _ been interested in guys. You’re going as my date. I know your dad doesn’t spend a lot of time with you because he’s busy, but Adrien, this  _ isn’t _ the way to get his attention! I can talk with him, I promise you! Besides, I  _ doubt _ your father would want you to date some nobody fa—”

“Finish that sentence young lady, and I’ll ensure you  _ never _ make it to the Wayne Gala,” Lois hissed. “ _ My son _ is not a nobody, and you  _ will not _ refer to him by a derogatory slur!”

Lila rolled her eyes before demanding to know who she was.

“Lois Lane-Kent, friend to Bruce Wayne,” the woman  _ growled _ . “His youngest is friends with Jon, so we’re  _ quite close _ . He’s also on friendly terms with my  _ husband _ , Clark Kent. If we asked him to bar you, it would be done in a  _ heartbeat. _ ”

“Mr. Wayne’s eldest is actually married to a man,” Jon said. “And one of his other sons is dating my big brother. Not to mention his cousin is married to another woman, and I believe his daughter is dating a girl too, so Mr. Wayne is very supportive of the LGBT community.”

_ That _ seemed to get Lila to shut up. She’d nearly slipped up, but managed to school her face back into a smile. She looked at Adrien with a gaze that said ‘this isn’t over’ before walking off. Adrien knew she was going to find  _ Nathalie _ , and then all of his  _ real _ problems would start. He hadn’t even  _ realized _ he was trembling until he felt a soft jacket being draped across his shoulders.

He realized it was  _ Lois’s _ jacket, and that her  _ son _ was having a  _ very hard _ time not going after Lila.

“Shh, hun, it’s okay,” Lois soothed, rubbing one hand against his back. “Is that why you needed Jon’s help, hun?”

“She  _ touches  _ me, and I don’t like it. When I tell her to  _ stop _ , she just  _ ignores  _ me. My father  _ forces  _ me to do photoshoots with her, and she  _ lies  _ frequently to get close to me. I can’t make her  _ upset  _ or else my father gets  _ angry  _ with  _ me _ . I  _ really  _ want her to  _ stop  _ touching me. I don’t  _ like  _ it. I  _ don’t _ want to go to the dance with her. She’ll keep trying to  _ kiss _ and  _ touch  _ me, and it makes me  _ really  _ uncomfortable. My father and Nathalie don’t  _ do  _ anything about it.”

Whelp…

Fuck…

Adrien hadn’t meant for  _ all _ of that to come blurting out, but  _ it had _ .

The blonde was getting  _ tired _ of everything. He was tired of the  _ gag _ order. He was tired of  _ hurting Marinette _ because that’s what made  _ Lila _ happy. He was tired of  _ all  _ the  _ touching _ . He was tired of having to  _ pry _ Lila off his  _ body _ . He was tired of hiding all the  _ lies _ . He didn’t  _ understand _ why his father and Nathalie wouldn’t make her  _ go away _ .

To say Lois looked angry would be an  _ understatement _ .

The reporter was shaking now herself, but not with anxiety or fear. This wasn’t like when she was worked up about a case, shaking with excitement about getting a break. No, Lois was shaking with the rage of an  _ angry mother. _ She was going to  _ skin _ Gabriel Agreste for this, and she was going to do it  _ slowly _ and  _ painfully _ . 

Lois  _ knew  _ Adrien wasn’t lying. While she couldn’t  _ hear  _ heartbeats or breathing like her husband and son could, she could  _ see _ the fear and anxiety radiating off of him. He’d run over to them like a  _ startled  _ rabbit, scrambling to find safety. She had  _ wanted _ to tear the girl’s arm off herself the second she noticed him  _ wince _ . She now noted there were red  _ marks _ from where the brat’s nails had  _ dug into his skin. _ He had clearly been afraid of  _ something _ , and Lois had a feeling it wasn’t the girl herself, but what the girl could  _ have _ done to him.

Jon was  _ beside himself _ , but chose to focus on the rapidly beating heart of the boy beside him. It was beating way too fast, and he was  _ gasping _ for air now. Jon was almost  _ certain _ the blond was going into a panic attack. He joined his mother in quietly shushing him while gently stroking his back and arms (after asking if Adrien was comfortable with it) until his heart rate slowed and his breathing became more even. 

The blond, Adrien his mother had called him, looked like a beaten  _ puppy _ . His head was low. His eyes were drooping from exhaustion. He was sniffling with tears still rolling down his cheeks. It made Jon  _ angry _ to see someone in such a state, especially this boy. Adrien had looked so  _ happy _ to see  _ his _ mom, was happy to be  _ acknowledged _ by  _ Jon’s _ mom, and now he looked like the world was  _ ending. _

He looked up to his mother, fire in his eyes, stating a simple fact.

“I’m taking him to the Wayne Gala, Mom,” Jon said, steel in his tone. “I’m his boyfriend, and I’m taking him to the gala. Do you think we should take him to see, Dad? I don’t think we should send him back with his dad.”

Lois nodded quietly before silently saving the recording. The second the kids had started talking, she had turned on her phone recorder just in case. She  _ needed  _ to have Clark and Buce listen to it. Lois didn’t have enough  _ evidence _ , but she was almost  _ certain _ there was child abuse going on in the Agreste household. She would need her husband’s (and Bruce’s) help to get this to the French authorities.

“Hey, hun? Why don’t you come with us for a little bit?” she asked quietly. “We can get you somewhere nice and quiet.”

Adrien nodded, wiping his eyes. Lois scanned the room before wrapping a firm arm around Adrien. She gently began guiding him while Jon tapped away on his phone. Little did Adrien (or anyone else) know that Jon was sending texts to a heavily encrypted group chat.

**Only Two of Us Aren’t Adopted**

**BigWing: Anyway, that’s why Alfred won’t let us use the kitchen without supervision.**

**CloneSupes: ...y’all got problems...like fuckin’...how?**

**BabySupes: Tim, I need a favor.**

**PrettyBird: ??????**

**BabySupes: I need you to make records of fake emails between me and Adrien Agreste.**

**BabyBat: I’m almost afraid to ask why.**

**BabySupes: He’s been sexually harassed by some girl, and his father’s just letting her get away with this shit. I lied and said he was my boyfriend and that we’re going to the Wayne gala together.**

**CloneSupes: Are you?**

**BabySupes: To get him away from this crazy bitch? Yes. She left fingernail imprints in his arm. Anyway, Tim, can you fake a whole bunch of emails going back about four months ago? That was when Mom did the story on Gabriel’s new fashion line and questioned him about the rumors that the designs were stolen. She’s going to tell Gabriel that she gave Adrien my email so we could talk.**

**LittleWing: Are you even gay?**

**BabySupes: Yes, and it’s all your family’s fault.**

**BigWing: !!!!!!!**

**LittleWing:!?!?!?!?!?**

**PrettyBird: ….**

**BabyBat: Jon, what the actual FUCK?!**

**BabySupes: Dames, you’re my best friend. I love you like a bro, but you and your family are ridiculously attractive. I got mad at Tim and Kon for kissing before realizing I was mad because I wanted to kiss a boy, and I didn’t think it was fair that Kon had someone so pretty to kiss. So yeah.**

**LittleWing: Well, then that just means it’s Tim’s fault.**

**BigWing: Jay! Tim can’t help the fact he’s pretty! Or that Kon’s his soulmate, so they’re disgustingly sweet with each other!**

**BabySupes: GETTING BACK TO THE IMPORTANT BIT. Ya know, the POTENTIAL CHILD ABUSE! Can you please do this, Tim?**

**CloneSupes: ...so that’s why you kept muttering ‘it’s not fair’ and ‘Kon gets to kiss pretty boys’. Congrats on figuring it out. So, is this Adrien kid cute?**

**BabySupes: NOT NOW. Emails first, then I’ll tell you about Adrien.**

**PrettyBird: Yeah, I can do it. Got info for me?**

**BabySupes: I’ll send you the file. Mom compiled one on him over the years. I think his dad may have been abusing him for longer than this.**

**PrettyBird: Copy that.**

**CloneSupes: Let me know if I can help, Babe.**

**BabyBat: Jon, Father and I see you...why does your mother look like Quinn when she decides it’s time to stop messing around and fuck shit up?**

**BigWing: LANGUAGE!**

**BabySupes: Because she is going to fudge stuff up. Approach with caution.**

Jon looked up from his phone to see the black hair and analytical green eyes of his best friend standing beside a limousine. Damian was still scowling at him (probably for the remark about them being hot), but he was notably... _ relaxed _ . It was like Damian was trying to make himself  _ less _ intimidating for once, and Jon would have freaked out, had it not been for the fact Adrien was holding onto his shirt again. Adrien  _ needed _ him calm, so he would  _ remain _ calm.

“Hey, Dames! Uncle Bruce, how are you?” Jon greeted with a grin. “Heya, Dad.”

Both men greeted Jon before pausing to look at both Lois, and the new child they’d acquired. Adrien nervously released Jon’s shirt, moving to stand next to him. He couldn’t  _ begin _ to process how  _ nerve-wracking _ all of this was for him. If he made  _ one _ false move that made the company look bad, his father would be  _ furious _ . He was already going to be  _ mad _ about him going with a boy, but unless he wanted  _ majorly _ bad PR, he couldn’t stop him. There was a strong front of LGBT support, and if Gabriel refused to let his son go with his boyfriend, there would be  _ major _ backlash.

“Adrien, the gentleman with the glasses is my husband, Clark,” Lois said, gently putting a hand on his shoulder. “Clark, this is Adrien Agreste. He’s going to be Jon’s date to the gala. The gentleman standing next to him is our friend, Bruce Wayne.”

Jon grabbed Adrien’s hand in support as the blond felt bile rise in his throat. Were...were they really going to  _ go through _ with this? Were they really going to help Adrien trick  _ everyone _ ? Were they going to  _ lie _ to Mr. Kent and Mr. Wayne about it too?

“Jon, I’d like to say, publically, that you’re an ass,” Damian stated, crossing his arms. “I’m insulted you didn’t tell me first,  _ and _ outed yourself in our  _ group chat _ with our brothers. I’m your  _ best friend _ . I deserved to  _ hear _ it from you.”

“Sorry, Dames,” Jon shrugged, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. “It kind of just came out?”

“I suppose I’ll accept that pathetic apology, but you should really apologize to your dad for not telling him.”

Jon looked at Clark before saying, “Sorry, Dad.”

“Kiddo, I’m not mad, but can I ask why you didn’t tell me? Did I say something that made you think I wouldn’t support you like I do Conner and Tim?” Clark asked, kneeling down to look his son in the eye.

Seeing the look of  _ guilt _ and  _ hurt _ on the man’s face, Adrien found his voice.

“It’s  _ my _ fault, Mr. Kent!”

Both Bruce Wayne and Clark were staring at him now. Adrien swallowed before continuing.

“My father...well, you see...my father’s kind of...traditional? I’m not...I’m not sure how he’d react to me...well…”

A look of understanding bloomed on Clark’s face.

“You don’t know if your father would accept it.”

Adrien nodded before squeezing Jon’s hand.

“Jon’s really great...I wouldn’t want my father trying to say bad things about  _ him  _ or  _ your family  _ because he’s  _ mad  _ at  _ me _ ,” he murmured, looking down at his feet.

Jon’s face  _ lit up _ with a deep blush, suddenly feeling shy. He’ll admit that the main reason  _ why _ he stepped in to help was because the other boy was  _ afraid _ . When that girl had gripped Adrien’s arm, his pulse had  _ skyrocketed _ and his  _ breathing _ wasn’t steady. The blond had looked ready to go into a full blown  _ meltdown _ , and Jon had wanted to help him.

However, Adrien Agreste wasn’t just a model because his father  _ owned  _ the company. He was also  _ very _ attractive. He had fluffy blond hair that just looked so  _ soft _ and green eyes that reminded him of the grass in an open field. His expressions were  _ animated _ and  _ lively _ , and he was slightly muscular. If Jon was being honest, he would have been interested in Adrien regardless of the situation.

“It’s okay, Adrien,” Lois reassured him. “He wouldn’t be the first to try and trash talk our family. Now, how about Damian and Jon take Adrien to get some lunch? I need to talk to you two for a moment.”

That was how Adrien ended up in a small cafe, eating a sandwich with great gusto. Jon was chuckling at him while Damian was eyeing him critically. Adrien swallowed the food he was eating and said, “Don’t look at me like that! This is the first thing I’ve eaten since the granola bar that Lois snuck me just before the interview.”

“Mom snuck you food?” Jon asked quietly.

“Mmhm, your mom always does! It’s why she’s one of my favorite reporters to talk to,” Adrien nodded before taking another bite.

He chewed before continuing, “Your mom’s always been super nice to me. That’s why I ran over to you and your mom when I needed help. She always helps me.”

Damian quietly ate his salad, carefully listening to Adrien’s story. The boy seemed to speak a lot more freely now that he was only around the pair. Jon, true to his bloodline, kept asking delicately worded questions to get Adrien to tell more about his homelife. Adrien responded almost  _ immediately _ to Jon’s line of questioning, and the more Damian heard, the more he found himself wanting to set  _ Todd  _ loose. 

Sure, Damian was raised by assassins, but he wasn’t a  _ complete _ monster (as Grayson had  _ delighted _ in proving to Damian). What this man was doing to his son was  _ wrong _ . Gabriel Agreste may not have been  _ physically  _ abusing his son, but the psychological and emotional abuse was  _ blatantly _ there. He was keeping his son locked up like a  _ dog _ . He was denying his son the most  _ basic _ social interactions. He was  _ manipulating _ his son into doing what he  _ wanted _ . He was  _ ignoring _ potential sexual harassment!

Todd would have  _ torn _ the man’s throat out by this point (if he knew). 

The dark haired boy could  _ tell _ Jon was getting more and more upset as well. Jon hadn’t  _ touched _ his glass in over twenty minutes, and he was  _ clenching _ his fists around a napkin. If Jon was too pissed off to  _ touch _ breakable objects, then things weren’t  _ good _ . He could tell the blue eyed boy was trying  _ frantically _ to think of excuses for  _ why _ Adrien just had to  _ stay  _ with them.

“...I’m really bumming you guys out, huh?” Adrien asked, his eyes darting down. “I’m sorry—”

“ _ You’re _ not the problem here, Sunshine,” Jon intervened, trying to keep his voice even. “It’s your  _ father _ we have a problem with.”

“Too many tiny similarities to my mother for my liking,” Damian said with a shrug. “She was a controlling, evil witch, and it sounds like your father’s very similar.”

Adrien shuffled uncomfortably in his seat before sighing.

“Thanks, you guys. I just...it feels  _ nice _ to finally be able to  _ talk _ about all of this. I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused. You probably won’t see me after this. Once my father finds out that I was lying to avoid Lila, she’ll cause a big scene, and then my dad will probably lock me up in the hotel room for the rest of the trip…” he said quietly. “He was probably already planning on it. I hope I don’t get you guys in trouble. It’s probably best if you leave me now before—”

“I’m  _ not  _ leaving  _ you _ .”

The blond  _ froze _ , his green eyes gazing at the blue-eyed boy. Jon had  _ finally  _ released the napkins to grab one of Adrien’s hands. The half-Kryptonian didn’t know  _ why _ , but something was  _ screaming _ at him  _ not to let go. _ From what Jon had heard,  _ too many _ people had let Adrien go and left him to be  _ hurt _ . Jon  _ refused _ to be another one of those people.

“I’m  _ not  _ leaving  _ you _ . No matter what happens, I’m going to stick to my story. I don’t have a physical soulmark, do you?” Jon said, rubbing his thumb against Adrien’s hand.

“No.”

“Okay, then we could lie and say our soulmate bond isn’t a physical mark. That way your father doesn’t have physical evidence that we’re  _ not _ soulmates. There  _ are _ people like that,” Jon said.

“My soulmate and I share emotions,” Damian said. “It’s not something that anyone could prove or disprove.”

“Exactly! There are plenty of different soulmates! I’m  _ not leaving _ you. I  _ won’t _ leave...not until you’re safe.”

Adrien felt a light tingling sensation on his right wrist upon hearing those words. He smiled brightly at Jon before squeezing the other’s hand tightly. It was then that people began to storm into the cafe. At the front of the pack was a very  _ irate _ looking Gabriel Agreste.

“Adrien, would you care to  _ tell _ me why several people have been informing me that my son is going to the Wayne Gala with  _ some boy _ ? I  _ believe _ I told you that  _ Ms. Rossi _ was to be accompanying you to the gala,” Gabriel said firmly. “Now why would you  _ lie _ to all these nice people,  _ including _ Mr.Wayne?”

“I— I didn’t  _ lie _ , Father. I found my soulmate through his mom a few months ago...and  _ he _ happens to be a boy,” Adrien said, holding on tight to Jon’s hand. “And he asked me to go with him. I said yes.”

Gabriel’s face contorted into a look of barely concealed rage. He grabbed his son’s right wrist and began to pull him out of the chair until Jon stepped in. The half-Kryptonian had  _ little _ problem removing his hand from Adrien's, but that wasn't what caused the cafe to fall eerily silent. 

What did was the  _ gold writing _ across Adrien's wrist. 

Gold writing that read  _ Jonathan Kent _ in the boy's own handwriting. 

"You didn't have that before!" Gabriel hissed. 

"How would you know?! It took you months to notice I was wearing a ring that Chloe gave me!" Adrien argued, feeling  _ emboldened _ by the fact this boy  _ was _ his soulmate.

"It would have been in your photos!" his father argued.

"Not if I hid it!"

While the father and son were arguing, Jon looked down at his  _ own _ wrists. On his right wrist was  _ Adrien Agreste _ in lovely penmanship. Jon couldn't fight the smile that bloomed on his face as he held up his own wrist to show off the matching mark.

His mother smiled, and all Jon could think was that maybe this date wouldn't be so fake after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chat Names:
> 
> BigWing: Dick
> 
> CloneSupes: Conner
> 
> BabySupes: Jon
> 
> PrettyBird: Tim
> 
> BabyBat: Damian
> 
> LittleWing: Jason
> 
> Dick made the groupchat, in case you couldn't tell.


	27. Day 27: Nature

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I swapped out Time Travel for Nature because I despise writing time travel fics. Sorry if this disappoints anyone, but man do I not vibe with time travel.
> 
> Once again, sorry this is super late. Quarantine and being a necessary worker has been kicking my ass.
> 
> Another one-shot off of 'The Head Omega', but this time with more Jason!
> 
> Jason is a good big brother...or he does his absolute best to be.

He knew it was in his nature to be aggressive. 

Jason Peter Todd was an alpha, and one that was intimately acquainted with the harsh streets of Gotham. He'd  _ had _ to be aggressive to ensure his survival out there. Bruce had tried to curb his more  _ dangerous  _ behavior, but then Jason had  _ died _ .

He'd died and been resurrected...but something hadn't gone right. He'd come back  _ angrier  _ and more  _ violent _ . Talia had told him it was Pit Madness… that he'd traded pieces of his sanity for his  _ life _ .

Jason wasn't sure how to feel about that. Especially after everything was said and done. He'd  _ killed _ people. He'd hurt the pack's  _ omega _ . He had hurt his  _ brother _ . He'd hurt just about  _ everyone _ who was  _ important _ to him.

It filled Jason with  _ anxiety.  _

The  _ knowledge  _ of how easy it was for him to  _ turn against his pack _ haunted him. He was afraid it would happen  _ again _ . He was afraid the creeping madness would return to consume his better nature. He was afraid of  _ hurting _ his  _ pack _ .

Which had grown to include  _ two  _ more omegas.

Marinette and Adrien may have been guests in their home, but Bruce and Alfred had  _ essentially  _ announced them as  _ pack _ . The Head Alpha had told not only  _ Jason _ but the pack's  _ other alphas _ to look out for the two pups.

Looking after them had  _ awakened _ something in Jason he thought had  _ died _ with him all those years ago.

Protective instincts that hadn't reared their head since Crime Alley came back with a  _ vengeance _ . Everything he'd  _ ever learned  _ about taking care of an omega came  _ flooding _ back to him. Things he used to do for  _ Catherine _ , for other  _ omegas _ on the streets, resurfaced, leaving Jason  _ confused _ and  _ conflicted _ .

He was almost  _ positive  _ that Tim wouldn't want him to assist in building a  _ nest _ . He was also pretty certain that Tim wouldn't want the alpha  _ scenting  _ or  _ cuddling  _ him, even if the omega was  _ distressed.  _ Jason had tried to  _ kill _ Tim. He wouldn't  _ blame _ Tim for  _ not _ wanting Jason's comfort. 

So when Marinette cornered him, the alpha gave the omega the closest thing to the truth he  _ could _ .

"I was  _ really  _ angry when I found out Tim was going to be a part of the pack. I thought I was being  _ thrown out _ , so I  _ said  _ and  _ did  _ some real  _ shit  _ things to Tim. I didn't think he'd  _ want _ my help. I know I apologized, but...still. I was  _ horrible _ to him, CV,” he said softly with a shrug.

“I think you need to talk to Tim, Jase,” Marinette replied. “You’re a part of  _ Tim’s _ family pack. He needs to know that you are  _ here _ to  _ protect _ him.”

Jason looked at her uncertainly before the little omega grabbed his wrist. She began to tug him down the hall. He followed the little omega quietly to where he knew her nest was. He could scent the pack’s other two omegas, making his stomach churn a little. He could smell  _ Tim’s _ scent which was  _ bitter with distress. _ The scent of coffee and mint  _ burned  _ the inside of his nose. His instincts  _ screamed _ at him to go in there and soothe his packmate, but his better sense told him to leave the little omega alone.

He could also scent Adrien. The younger omega’s cotton and sandalwood scent was drifting through the halls, growing more and more distressed. He assumed Adrien must have been reacting to Tim’s distress. He wasn’t sure if the little omegas would be helped or harmed by his presence, but he also didn’t fight Marinette.

The dark haired omega led him into their room quietly, and Jason’s anxiety  _ skyrocketed _ . 

Tim was  _ curled _ up in the middle of the nest. He was  _ trembling _ and  _ crying _ , seemingly inconsolable. Adrien was next to him,  _ whimpering _ , unable to get the older omega’s attention. Despite the fact Adrien was pressed against Tim, the older omega didn’t seem to acknowledge the younger one’s stress or presence.

“They  _ both  _ had a nightmare,” Marinette murmured. “I had managed to calm Adrien down when Tim woke up. I need  _ your _ help.”

Jason wouldn’t be able to recall later what made him move other than  _ nature _ . He was a member of this  _ pack _ . He was an  _ alpha _ in this pack. It was  _ his _ job to  _ protect _ the pack omegas, whether it be from an attack or bad dreams.

He climbed into the nest slowly, letting his scent waft through the air. He noted that Adrien was the first to react as his green eyes found Jason’s. He  _ whined _ louder as if  _ begging  _ Jason to make Tim better. The alpha let out a low purr and felt a tinge of  _ relief _ when Adrien’s body relaxed.

Tim was still  _ unresponsive _ .

Jason gently spooned his younger brother, whispering to him quietly. The scent of campfire and leather filled the air as he purred, gently stroking Tim’s hair. At first Tim had tried to thrash out of Jason’s hold, but he began to go limp as soon as the purring began. He seemed to subconsciously react as Jason could tell Tim still wasn’t in a good state of mind.

Eventually, Tim stopped shaking. He just rested in Jason’s arms for a few moments before a raspy voice mumbled, “Jason?”

“Yeah, Timmy...it’s me.”

“Don’ let ‘im get me.”

“Who?”

“Joker...don’ wanna...junior...don’ wanna...”

Fuck...Jason had nearly  _ forgotten _ .

He wasn’t the  _ only _ Robin the Joker had irrevocably  _ fucked  _ up. It had happened before Jason returned, but Alfred had filled him in. Joker saw how attached Bruce was to Tim and decided that, since  _ killing _ the second Robin didn’t make Batman stop, that he would  _ torture _ the new one. The psychotic clown had tried to turn Tim into a  _ miniature Joker _ . He had nearly  _ broken _ Tim...all so he could get to  _ Bruce _ . 

Jason let out a  _ snarl _ before pressing Tim tighter against him.

“I’ll tear his  _ goddamn heart out _ if he tries. I’m  _ here _ , Timmy. I’m  _ here.  _ He’s  _ not _ gonna  _ touch you _ .  _ Fuck _ , Timmy...I’m  _ sorry. _ I shoulda come to you  _ before _ . How many nightmares do you have like this?” the alpha asked, not loosening his grip on the omega.

Tim didn’t respond.

He just looked at Jason with eyes that were so  _ exhausted _ and  _ scared _ .

“I’m not  _ leaving _ again. I’ll  _ help _ you as long as you  _ want _ me, okay? Go to sleep, Timmy. I’ll keep watch,” he said, this time softer. “Adrien, why don’t you come over here too? It’s gonna be  _ okay _ , kiddo. Tim’s gonna be  _ fine _ .”

Adrien laid down next to Tim. He gently laced his fingers with Tim’s, holding the older omega’s hand tightly. His scent had died down into a soft smell, now at ease knowing Jason was here to help Tim. He yawned before closing his eyes to go back to sleep as well, feeling  _ safe _ and  _ protected _ .

This left Marinette and Jason as the only two awake. The alpha looked at the tiny omega before sighing.

“Go to sleep, CV.  _ I’ve  _ got things under control. You  _ need  _ your rest too.”

His instincts wouldn’t be  _ fully _ satisfied until Marinette went back to sleep too.

Marinette nodded, looking  _ very _ tired. She curled up on Adrien’s other side. Once she was situated, she wished Jason goodnight and fell asleep.

Jason felt his anxiety recede and all the previous feelings  _ fade _ . His inner alpha felt  _ satisfied _ knowing he was doing what he was  _ supposed to _ . His pack’s omegas were  _ safe _ and sleeping  _ peacefully _ . They  _ trusted _ Jason to look after them...and it was honestly more than the alpha felt he  _ deserved _ . 

The Pit Madness had only  _ increased _ the aggression that was  _ naturally _ there. Jason had  _ still made _ those decisions to  _ hurt _ Tim. Nothing could change what Jason had  _ done _ ...but it appeared to be at least partially  _ forgiven _ . Tim was letting Jason  _ hold _ him without fear. Tim was finding  _ comfort _ in Jason’s presence. Tim was at  _ peace _ despite Jason’s presence.

The alpha hummed quietly, thinking about something he’d read.

Perhaps it was in his nature to be aggressive, but that wasn’t the  _ only _ thing nature made Jason. Nature had made Jason a  _ protector _ . It had given Jason his  _ instincts _ ...and as he looked at the three sleeping omegas, he figured his instincts weren’t  _ all  _ that  _ terrible. _


	28. Day 28: High School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brucilie High School!AU. No powers!AU as well.
> 
> Emilie's not having a great day.
> 
> Bruce just wants to help...and maybe a bit more.

Today was  _ not _ going Emilie’s way.

First, she spilled hot chocolate all over her shirt. Second, she forgot the book she was  _ supposed _ to return to the library, so she wasn’t able to get a book she  _ needed _ for class. Third, the blonde girl had forgotten her lunch, so guess who didn’t eat? Fourth, she just  _ barely _ passed her trigonometry test.

The final piece to her  _ shit-tastic  _ day?

Her father had  _ forgotten _ her.

_ Again _ .

Emilie could  _ feel  _ the frustrated tears pooling up in her green eyes as she sat under the awning, watching the rain come down. She could feel her stomach gnawing at her, and she was feeling rather lightheaded. The blonde debated the pros and cons of walking home in the rain. She had her keys after all, so she could get into the house with or  _ without _ her father.

Emilie then wondered if he was even  _ home _ .

When Emilie was around five years old, her father had  _ divorced _ her mother to chase after one of his  _ mistresses _ . He had taken little Emilie away from her twin sister and mother and moved them across the ocean. Despite being so far away from many of his lovers, her father had  _ not _ changed his ways. He simply found  _ new _ women to spend all his time with...so much that Emilie was almost convinced he had no  _ idea _ he had a daughter at home!

She  _ hated _ living in Gotham! Her father was always gone to attend parties, auctions, and other events, leaving her home alone for hours on end. When he wasn’t working or partying, he was with  _ women _ all hours of the day! Emilie couldn’t remember the last  _ conversation _ she’d had with her father! She couldn’t  _ wait _ to turn eighteen so she could finally  _ leave _ that house.

Only two more years to go.

Emilie pulled her knees to her chest, wishing the rain would  _ stop. _

She had decided  _ against _ walking home in the downpour. Gotham wasn’t exactly the  _ safest _ city, and the rain would add more variables for Emilie to contend with. Not to mention that if she left now, she’d be  _ soaked _ to the bone. She knew it wouldn’t be good for her, especially considering she was  _ already  _ feeling unwell.

“God, can this day get any  _ worse?” _ she muttered to herself.

“...are you okay?” a concerned voice came.

Emilie knew she shouldn’t have asked that.

The blonde haired teen fixed her green eyes on the  _ last _ person she wanted to see.

Crouched down next to her was none other than the school heartthrob, Bruce Wayne. Bruce was her age, but he was also  _ well _ known throughout the school. Girls  _ swooned _ over his handsome face and charming smile. He had black hair and icy blue eyes that the girls  _ swore _ were hypnotic. He was on the football team and best friends with their quarterback, Clark Kent.

Not only was he athletic, Bruce was also rather intelligent. He passed his classes with an ease that made her  _ seethe _ . He didn’t seem to need practice or anything! The only thing Emilie could think of that was a  _ negative _ was the fact that Bruce Wayne was an orphan and  _ everyone _ knew the story. 

His parents had been  _ shot _ and  _ killed _ in front of him after they left a theatre. The murder of a talented doctor and a well-loved socialite had  _ flooded _ the papers. Not to mention, Emilie’s father had been a good friend of Dr. Wayne, and he  _ mourned _ over Thomas and Martha Wayne. It had always made Emilie  _ angry _ that her father mourned two strangers, but couldn’t be bothered to give a  _ damn _ about his ex-wife or daughters. In a way, it had made Emilie resent Bruce, and that was where their friendship had begun to fall apart.

Emilie heard her stomach growl again, except this time it was  _ louder _ . She could feel the nausea building up as she struggled to function. She  _ needed  _ to eat. She  _ needed  _ to eat before her body gave out. She clenched her fists  _ tighter _ , leaving crescent shaped marks in her palms. She also needed Bruce Wayne to get the  _ fuck away from her _ .

“Here, I have a protein bar. You should eat it.”

She startled slightly, having been lost in her thoughts. She realized that Bruce was holding out a snack bar to her. She raised her eyebrow at him before asking what the catch was. She was shocked to see that Bruce seemed  _ startled _ by the question.

“It’s a protein bar, not the answers to the state exams. Why would there be a catch?”

“There’s  _ always _ a catch, Way—”

Emilie was forced to cut her sentence off as she began to cough, fighting to keep herself upright. She grimaced as she felt mucus coming up as she coughed. Shit, she really hoped she wasn’t getting bronchitis or pneumonia. Her father would  _ never _ notice, and it was a  _ hassle _ trying to go to the doctor without them asking questions as to  _ where  _ her father was. She rubbed her chest, struggling and failing to suppress a shiver that ran up her spine.

She couldn’t  _ afford _ to get sick.

Suddenly,  _ warmth _ surrounded her, and Emilie blinked in thorough confusion.

Bruce had removed his coat, and thrown it around her shoulders as an extra layer of warmth. He had also unwrapped the protein bar for her. He gently placed it in her hand before rubbing her arm.

“...look, I know we don’t talk much anymore—”

“Pft, I’m fucking  _ invisible _ to  _ your kind _ . Don’t you  _ have football _ practice to get too? And some cheerleader to  _ flirt _ with?”

He looked ashamed for a moment before responding, “Okay, so maybe I deserved that. I  _ wanted _ to be your friend, Emilie. I just didn’t...I’m not...not good with  _ feelings _ . You were  _ scared _ and  _ alone _ . You missed your  _ sister _ . I didn’t...I didn’t know how to make  _ any _ of that  _ better _ ...so I  _ avoided _ you. Then my parents...anyway...I’m  _ sorry _ .”

“...what?”

“I’m  _ sorry _ . I  _ shouldn’t  _ have ignored you. I should have  _ tried harder _ to be a good friend. I should have  _ tried,  _ period. I was a  _ shit _ friend, and I can’t change the past...but I can try and make a  _ better _ future. I can be better  _ now _ .”

Emilie rolled her eyes as she tugged the jacket closer to her.

“So, is this just you trying to relieve a guilty conscience?” she hissed. “Or are you  _ actually _ going to be be—”

The coughing started  _ again _ , and this time, Emilie noticed Bruce’s expression. The teen actually looked  _ concerned _ about her. He was hovering close and seemed to want to  _ reach out _ but was stopping himself. He rubbed his face for a second before replying, “No. I want to be  _ your friend again _ , Emmie. I’m ready to  _ prove _ myself too. I already told Clark I’d be skipping practice, and I was able to call Alfred and let him know to pick me up. I noticed you weren’t feeling well, and I didn’t want to leave you to fend for yourself.”

Emilie’s coughing only got  _ worse _ . She could barely  _ breathe  _ between coughs, and her stomach was  _ still _ growling. Her face looked slightly pink. She didn’t seem to be completely coherent either. Her witty remarks had disappeared as her face continued to pale. She began to shake, curling up more.

Thankfully, Alfred pulled up just in the nick of time.

Bruce gently got Emilie to her feet, somehow managing  _ both  _ of their backpacks as well. He quickly herded her over to his car, allowing her to slide in before he did. The dark haired teen smiled at the driver before turning his attention back to a feverish and dazed looking  _ Emilie. _

“You don’t need to accept my apology...but please let us take care of you?” he asked quietly. “You need to sleep, and see a doctor. Alfred, did you—”

“Yes, Master Brue. I called Dr. Thompkins, and she should be waiting for us. Ms. Emilie, please do rest,” Alfred replied to the teen.

Emilie wanted to bristle and tell Bruce to  _ fuck off _ , but she couldn’t argue with Alfred. The butler had always been nothing but kind to her, and she didn’t want to be rude. She curled herself up, coughing into her arm. She grimaced at Bruce every time he tried to convince her to sleep, but answered Alfred when he asked her questions. She did find herself drifting every now and again, but forced herself to stay awake. She did eventually lose her battle, drifting off to sleep.

When Emilie woke up, she found herself in a soft warm bed. She had a damp cloth against her forehead, and her body was slightly elevated. She yawned before looking around the room. She noted that she was in a strangely familiar room. It looked like her old room from the manor...when she used to sleep over at the Wayne manor—

“Emilie! You’re awake!”

Emilie jumped slightly. Her eyes darted towards the door, only to see Bruce standing in the doorway. He looked... _ relieved _ ? The blonde glared at him, but he didn’t look deterred in the slightest. He walked over to her bedside, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Dr. Thompkins looked over you,” he informed her. “You have bronchitis. She’s already called the school to let them know you won’t be in for the next few days. I’ll pick up your homework for you tomorrow.”

“I have also taken the liberty of calling your father to inform him you were ill.”

Emilie’s eyes shot to the door again to see Alfred standing there with a tray of soup and what looked like tea. The elder man was smiling softly at her, but she could tell something was bothering him. If Emilie had to guess, it was probably her father’s lack of reaction to hearing she was sick. She gave him a bitter smile before coughing out, “I’m sure he was  _ so worried _ .”

Alfred went around to her other side before gently setting down the tray on her lap.

“Miss Emilie, it would help ease an old man’s pain if you remained in the manor until you recovered,” he said quietly.

“Aw, Alfie! You’re not that old,” Emilie managed to say. “I’ll stay though, if it will really make you feel better.”

“Ah, how I’ve missed having someone with some sense around this house,” Alfred sighed. “Eat as much as you can, little miss. I’ll stop back as soon as Leslie comes back with your medicine. Master Bruce, do take care not to insult Miss Emilie.”

Emilie smiled and waved at the butler as he departed from the room. She turned her attention to the soup on her lap, and she smiled. She began to dig in happily, her hunger finally satisfied. She completely missed the way Bruce looked at her, softly and fondly smiling at her.

Bruce had missed her.

Emilie had been his best friend as a child, but their relationship had never been an easy one. He hadn’t known how to deal with her fears or her sadness of being separated from her sister and mother. She had been an excellent playmate, but they had issues with communication of emotions. 

She had tried to be there for him when his parents had died, but Bruce had pushed her away in a sense. They had remained friends, but things had never been the same between them. Emilie had eventually got fed up and angry, and she had broken off their friendship when they were in the seventh grade. That had been the point Bruce had met Clark Kent and befriended him.

Emilie had thrown herself into her schoolwork while Bruce had drifted through things, still confused and in pain. He never knew how to deal with things, even though Alfred had tried his best to teach him. He joined the football team with Clark and didn’t look back. He sorely wished he had.

Emilie had only grown more beautiful as the years had passed. Her hair was long now, falling in beautiful golden waves past her shoulder blades. Her face had thinned out a little, highlighting her cheekbones. Her gorgeous green eyes were still as captivating as the day they’d met. He had remembered being in love with her devil-may-care smile and the mischievous look in her eye.

Bruce was hoping he could reconnect with her again. He missed his childhood friend. He missed having her around. He missed the mischief they got into as kids. He wanted to ask her to the prom...but he knew he had serious work to do before Emilie would ever  _ dream _ of accepting his proposal. 

Perhaps he could start mending fences with her now?

The dark haired young man went to talk with her when he noticed that she was growing tired. Most of the soup was gone, and she’d drained her teacup. Her green eyes were fluttering as she struggled to stay awake. Bruce smiled as she yawned, gently taking the tray off her lap.

“Go to sleep, Emmie. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he whispered quietly.

Bruce slowly exited the room as Emilie fell back asleep. He took a deep breath before convincing himself things were going to be okay. Emilie would still be there tomorrow. She would be there for a few days. There was still time for Bruce to fix things...and to ask her to prom. He just had to be patient. 


	29. Day 29: Fantasy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Implied domestic violence, implied violence towards a pregnant woman, implied rape/non-con
> 
> Werewolf AU, not necessarily even a/b/o, just something I thought about. Brucilie pairing.
> 
> Once again, sorry for it being late, but I haven't been in the best shape lately.

Bruce’s patience was running thin.

He shifted his infant son in his arms, trying to keep the little pup quiet. His hungry mewls sent a bolt of pain through his chest. The little pup was  _ hungry _ , and Bruce had no way of properly feeding him. He felt the anger come back towards the little boy’s mother for abandoning him when he still needed her, but there was nothing Bruce could do to make Talia stay. The woman left her pup to starve, and Bruce was doing his best. He just feared it wouldn’t be enough...

That being said, he really did not have  _ time _ for politics...however, it was his duty as the head alpha of this pack to deal with the politics. He glared at the other werewolves around him, hoping that they could hurry this charade along. The monthly meetings between the alphas of the local werewolf packs were a  _ joke _ anyhow. Nothing was ever solved, and it was only his friendship with Clark that kept him and his pack from becoming recluses.

Clark Kent was the only alpha worth their salt in the entire lot of them. The alpha was an honest, hardworking man who knew how to negotiate. His priorities laid where Bruce thought they ought to— the wellbeing of his pack. The farmer ensured his pack was taken care of first and foremost before everything else. He did not care if others saw him as a lowly farmer, so long as his pups had food to eat and were safe. The other alphas were too preoccupied with their own gains to focus on what was best for their packmates, and it had been something Bruce and Clark had bonded over.

Henri Graham de Vanily, for example, was an alpha of little worth. He cared too much for his reputation and name to properly care for his pups. Well, Bruce could hardly refer to the Graham de Vanily twins as pups, considering they were only a little younger than himself. He remembered growing up how the two omega she-wolves were pushed to the wayside, and their futures decided by their father’s business deals. He cared not for his daughters opinions on the matter, instead choosing matches that would best serve him and his textile business.

That didn’t mean Amelie and Emilie Graham de Vanily weren’t forces of nature themselves as Bruce had learned quickly. Amelie was a very conniving and cunning woman, and Emilie was brash and unrepentant. Amelie had managed to maneuver her father into a match that she desired by showing her father how it would benefit them both. Amelie had gotten her way in the end, and she  _ helped _ her husband run the shop he owned. She became as shrewd a businessman as her father before him.

Emilie was much more  _ wild _ in nature. She was a free-spirited kind of person, and she was unafraid to tell people what she thought of them. It had gotten little Emilie into trouble time and time again, and it appeared to Bruce that it was only thanks to Amelie that Emilie got out of trouble. Henri didn’t seem to care what happened to his youngest daughter, so long as one of his daughters was wed and carried an heir.

Henri had criticized Bruce for bringing in pups that were not his by blood...as did his close business partner, Gabriel Agreste. The alpha was a tailor and a damn good one at that, but he also shared the mentality that blood heirs were the only acceptable ones. While both men had talked Bruce down for taking in little Dick Grayson, Emilie had been the one to  _ encourage _ him.

The omega had thought it was delightful that he was taking in the orphaned pup, and she’d offered to assist in any way she could. This had made her father and Gabriel quite upset. They hadn’t wanted the blonde she-wolf anywhere near Bruce, but Emilie was stubborn. She had continued to see him until he adopted his last little pup, Timothy Drake. The omega had seemingly disappeared, and it worried Bruce. It was something he had planned to bring up when he saw Henri this month.

But he didn’t see the blonde alpha.

Instead, he spotted one Amelie Graham de Vanily. The blonde omegas head was held high, despite her black garments and heavily pregnant belly. Her green eyes shone an acidic green, daring the alphas around her to cross her. She was making her way towards him and Clark, someone following close behind her.

“Good day, Mr. Wayne, Mr. Kent,” she greeted quietly. “Might I have a word?”

“Of course, Amelie. I’m terribly sorry to hear about your husband. Pascal was a good man,” Clark said softly. “How are you holding up? Anything we can do for you?”

The blonde woman shook her head before looking at Bruce.

“Is there a private place we could talk, Bruce? This is your home, after all,” Amelie whispered. “I do not wish to be overheard.”

Bruce looked at Clark before asking, “Do you think you could keep them preoccupied? If anyone asks, just tell them Amelie is helping me with Damian.”

Clark nodded, leaving the alpha alone with the omega and her strange companion. Bruce’s blue eyes bored into Amelie’s green ones, but the omega simply gazed back. He gestured for her to follow him into his pup’s nursery. He gently adjusted Damian in his arms before looking at Amelie.

“What urgent news did you wish to discuss with me, Amelie?” he asked, gently rocking his pup.

“I need your help...Emilie needs your help.”

Bruce’s body tensed before he said, “I believe your father made his opinion very clear about my feelings for your sister—”

“My father is dead and so is my husband,” Amelie growled. “It’s Gabriel’s fault, I’m sure of it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Father promised Emilie to him, but she did not wish for him to be her match. As you know, my father had only me and my sister. He promised his company to the first man who married one of his daughters. Gabriel wanted to marry Emilie almost the moment he met her to get to my father’s business, but I outfoxed him by marrying Pascal.”

“The business became Pascal’s.”

“Until his death...which I have reason to believe was a poisoning. Until my pup is born, we have no way of knowing if I carry a boy or a girl—”

“If it’s a boy, you’ll still inherit the business—”

“If not, Emilie’s husband will,” Amelie said with a sharp grin. “Barbaric and old school thinking, wouldn’t you agree?”

“What does this have to do with Emilie?” Bruce asked, getting a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Amelie looked to her companion, who was wrapped tightly in foreign smelling clothes to block out their scent. She gestured to the companion, who hesitantly unwrapped themselves from the garments. The second they did, Bruce felt his blood  _ boil _ .

There, shaking and covered in bruises, was Emilie. The blonde woman had a black eye and what looked like hand marks around her throat. Her arms were covered in bruises, and her scent was sickly with  _ pain _ . That wasn’t the worst of it though. Emilie was also  _ heavily  _ pregnant, and Bruce was ready to  _ tear _ the throat out of the  _ bastard _ who dared to raise a hand to her.

“Amelie...Amelie broke off my engagement with Gabriel when my father died, as I requested,” Emilie whimpered. “He— he didn’t like that. He decided that he was going to  _ have me _ , regardless of  _ my feelings _ . He…”

“What do you need me to do?” Bruce asked, cutting Emilie off. “I’ll do anything, just name it.”

Amelie smiled, glad to know that she was correct in her assumptions. She figured the dark haired alpha still held affection for her younger sister. If anyone were to help Emilie escape from Gabriel, Bruce would be the one to do it. She gently rubbed her sister’s arm before saying, “I need you to hide her. No one else knows she’s pregnant. If Gabriel was to find out that he...well...that Emilie was pregnant—”

“Social convention would dictate that you marry her off to the one who impregnated her,” Bruce snarled. “Which was Gabriel’s plan.”

Amelie nodded grimly.

“Emilie...would you wish to stay with me? There would be no conditions to your stay.” 

Emilie looked shocked, gazing curiously at the alpha.

“What do you mean?” she asked quietly, absent-mindledly rubbing her bump.

“I won’t force you to stay here if you don’t wish to be here, Emilie. If you stay, I wish it to be your decision, and I won’t ask anything of you—”

“What are you talking about? I can’t dream of staying here without giving you something in return—"

“Emilie, we’re friends! You don’t need to repay me in any way—”

“Yes, I do, Bruce! Amelie may be fine with asking you to hide me with no strings attached, but this could get you in trouble! I wouldn’t feel right if I just decided to stay without offering you something in return—”

“Emilie, no—”

Before Bruce could continue, Damian decided to make his presence known. The little pup began to  _ wail _ , still hungry. He cried as loud as he could, wiggling in distress. Emilie reacted faster before Bruce or Amelie could. She scooped the pup out of Bruce’s arms and sat down on the rocking chair near Damian’s crib.

Bruce watched in quiet awe as Emilie managed to get Damian to start nursing. The little pup settled down almost  _ immediately _ , happy that he was now being fed. Bruce had tried substitutes, but Damian had spit them out more often than not.A small part of his anxiety died down as he realized that if Emilie stayed, Damian would be able to nurse. His son wouldn’t starve...and his friend would be safe.

He rubbed his face before sighing.

“Emilie, you don’t need to repay me...but if you feel you must, I need someone to nurse Damian. His mother abandoned him with me, and he’s still too young for anything solid. He doesn’t like drinking anything bottle prepared,” he said.

The blonde smiled down at the baby in her arms, gently stroking his cheek as he fed.

“Damian, hmm? What a sweet little thing you are...I hope you and my pup will be good friends,” she murmured. “I’d much rather stay here than go home.”

Bruce smiled before turning his attention back to Amelie.

“So how exactly are we going to pull this off?” he asked.

The elder twin gave him a smile that sent a  _ shiver _ down his spine.

Gabriel Agreste would  _ regret _ the day he underestimated Amelie Graham de Vanily.

And Bruce was quite frankly  _ terrified _ on his behalf...as much as he despised the man.


	30. Day 30: First Aid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Swapped out reincarnation for first aid. Couldn't think of anything that wouldn't make me more sad then I already am.
> 
> More platonic Jason and Marinette. I wasn't really sure where this was going, so it's just kind of here.

He sighed as he gently swabbed her cuts with antiseptic.

She was a trooper, the man would give her that. Not many people could take a beating and  _ keep _ getting back up. He partially attributed that ability to the magic suit she’d been wearing, but  _ regardless _ . He’d seen  _ plenty _ of people, both meta and magic, give up before this kid did.

Even her  _ partner _ had thrown in the towel before she had.

Not that Jason could blame the kitten. He understood a thing or two about suddenly discovering your only  _ living parent _ was a goddamn  _ criminal _ . The blond boy had croaked out a broken “Father” before retreating back into the safety of Dick. The cat-boy hadn’t continued to fight him, but he also refused to let the villain get his hands on the ring.

Jason was pretty sure Dick was  _ still  _ with Adrien, patching up the boy’s physical and  _ emotional _ wounds. Finding out your father was the terrorist who’d  _ repeatedly _ tried to kill you was a big shock to the system, and Jason knew how much that  _ sucked _ . His own  _ mother  _ had sold him out to the  _ Joker _ , so Jason knew all about terrible parents. The kid was probably channeling between denial and anger, and lord knew Jason would be no help when it came to that.

So, he decided to take the Ladybug and leave the cat to Dick.

The spotted heroine had remained eerily silent as Jason helped her off the battlefield. Despite the fact she had won, it appeared the young woman took no pleasure in it. She just looked so  _ exhausted  _ and worn down. She had cuts that for some reason hadn’t healed, despite the cure being used.

He gently bandaged up the dark haired girl’s cuts and scrapes, neither speaking. Jason wouldn’t push her to talk to him. They’d been through  _ the shit _ , and he felt she’d earned some time to just  _ be _ . He was certain she was probably still reeling from the events that had occurred only hours before. Someone she’d  _ respected _ had turned out to be an abusive piece of shit, and that was a lot to process. Not to mention she’d had to deal with her partner’s emotions regarding the previous suspicions (that had been confirmed) that his father was the one causing all of the pain and suffering. 

“Alright kid, you’re all patched up. Now you need a nap.”

“I don’t need to sleep. I need to talk to the press and to Chat…”

“Nah, they can wait, Spots. You look like you’re about to drop dead where you sit. Nap first, other shit later.”

Jason grabbed one of their shock blankets before wrapping the younger hero up in it. He gently pulled her back onto the cot, just barely squeezing himself on there with her. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, making sure she couldn’t make a quick escape. It was in his opinion that Ladybug needed a nap, so Ladybug was going to take a fucking nap!

He didn’t move until he felt her breathing even out, indicating that she had fallen fast asleep. Even then, he only readjusted his position so he would be more comfortable. He had no plans on leaving the little bug alone...not after her entire world had been  _ shattered _ . She’d already be tense enough about waking up somewhere she was unfamiliar with, but Jason figured it would be more helpful if she had some support when she woke up.

There wasn’t much Jason could do to help with the trauma of what this dark-haired girl had gone through...but at least he could provide some first aid to make things a little better. 


	31. Day 31: Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whelp, I managed to make it to the end of Maribat March 2020! Sorry for all the delays, and thanks to all of you who continued to read my work despite these delays!
> 
> Short and cute little Bargami for the end.
> 
> No warnings needed.

The house was silent as he entered.

The red-head was careful to pull off his gear quietly, trying to ignore the soreness in his limbs. Thanks to his fast regeneration, he knew that the pain would be gone briefly. He could tough it out quietly if it meant the inhabitants of the home would continue to remain asleep. He quickly grabbed some snack foods and ate, telling himself he’d eat a real meal in the morning.

He couldn’t risk waking them up.

The man tip-toed into the master bedroom, smiling fondly at the sight before him. Illuminated by a nightlight was the silhouette of his very pregnant wife and their two year old son. His son’s dark black hair was in disarray, clearly having taken after his father. Those little green eyes that reminded him so much of his own were shut in a peaceful sleep. He was curled up against his mother, who also appeared to be sleeping soundly.

Bart couldn’t help but grin like a loon, staring down with so much  _ love _ and  _ affection  _ at his family.

He couldn’t believe how  _ big _ little Kyo had gotten. It seemed like every time Bart left on a mission, his baby boy just grew and grew. He was no longer the tiny baby that Bart could hold in one arm. No, he was a bright and precocious toddler who would probably give both his parents a run for their money.

After all, any child of his and Kagami Allen nee Tsurugi would be a  _ force of nature _ .

Bart gently climbed into bed, pulling his son close as the little boy woke up just enough to realize his father was home. Kyo grabbed onto his dad and mumbled some unintelligible words as he fell back asleep. Bart rubbed his little boy’s back, ensuring that he would remain asleep as he kissed his wife on the forehead.

Kagami’s brown eyes opened sleepily, and she smiled upon seeing Bart. She gently kissed him before mumbling that she’d missed him. She then yawned as she told him she loved him, drifting back to sleep, much like their son. It made Bart laugh to see how alike his son and wife were in those little mannerisms. Both could rise early, but  _ only _ if it was  _ their _ idea. He wondered if their daughter would be more like him or his wife.

As he fought back his own exhaustion, Bart mused over how  _ lucky _ he was to have all of  _ this _ . If one had asked him if this is how he imagined his and Kagami’s relationship would turn out years ago, Bart would have  _ laughed _ . He had thought Kagami was  _ way _ out of his league and wouldn’t be interested in someone like  _ him. _

Even  _ after _ Kagami gave him chocolate on Valentine’s Day, Bart had still thought their relationship would have ended back in high school. He was a nerd with a superhero alter ego. She was the daughter of world renowned fencers who could get whomever she wanted. He had no  _ idea _ that Kagami would choose  _ him _ of all people to grace with her love. He was thankful everyday that he  _ had _ her love.

Of all the ways things could have ended, Bart was  _ thrilled _ to have been blessed with this ending.


End file.
